


Felis Catus

by my_place12



Series: Another Life [2]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Cat, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Gay Sex, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Same-Sex Marriage, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-11
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-07-22 22:24:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 24,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7456183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/my_place12/pseuds/my_place12
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things were somewhat back to normal. The team found themselves chasing several suspects through a building’s lab. But the normalcy that was their lives would turn into abnormality once more.<br/>With Danny being a furry feline, Steve makes an effort to keep him safe and keep him happy. He’d always wanted a cat, even if it was a grumpy petite cat. And let’s face it, Danny made the perfect grumpy, petite cat. As Dr. Young helps Oahu’s research team with a cure, the team works on a case of a serial arsonist. Steve gets caught in a fire, and Danny tries to figure out how to help him. But how much help can he offer in a cat’s body?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Danny, I’m so sorry.” Steve murmured as he drove the Camaro down the road from the 5-0 head quarters. 

Danny sighed with irritation as he sat in the passenger seat. He was seething with an angst and frustration towards Steve he hadn’t felt in years as the A/C blew against his hot body.

“I mean, no one knew anything about the drugs there. How were we to know what they did, exactly?” 

 _Maybe try questioning instead of leaping at them with guns?_  

“Now. . .you would probably say some smart ass comment if you could talk. . .probably something like. . .‘well, maybe if you weren’t so hell bent on using that damn gun of yours, it wouldn’t result in chases.’” Steve chuckled at his impression of Danny. 

Steve’s tone infuriated him. Danny let out a warning growl. 

Steve chuckled. “What, you didn’t like that? I thought it was pretty spot on.” 

Danny let out another growl as he stared forward at the dash, continuing his pouting. 

“But Danny, as you recall, I went about it peacefully.” 

Danny growled again. _No you didn’t, you piece of work!_

“I did! No guns, no force. . . _they_ went crazy. So I had to act on the defense.” 

If Danny could, he’d roll his eyes. He just let out another growl. 

“I know. Okay. I’m sorry. Again. But until the team of researchers and chemists figure out an antidote, you can just relax and hang with me.” 

Danny turned to look at him as Steve continued to drive down the road. 

“We’ll just pick some things up at the pet store, and get home.” Steve murmured as he reached over and offered his hand to Danny. 

Danny hissed. _Really? The pet store? I’M NOT AN ANIMAL!!!_  

“Danny! Come on!” Steve spoke in surprise. “That wasn’t a jab, we need some stuff. The team gave us 3 days. 3 days. . .you have to be a cat. Wouldn’t you rather be comfortable than not have the things you need?” 

Danny sighed. He sniffed Steve’s hand and nudged it with his nose. _Fine. If we’re doing this, I guess it’s wise to have a few things._

“There you go. You can even come in with me.” Steve murmured as he ran his hand over Danny’s head and down his back. “I’ll give you as much of an opportunity to choose things you like.” 

Danny sighed again. _I guess I have to get used to being a cat for a bit._  

“Chin and Kono are calling Rachel.” 

 _Aw, fuck please don’t call Rachel._ Danny grimaced at the thought of his ex knowing he was now a furry creature. 

“They’re just telling her so that she’s prepared. I’m hoping she’ll be at my house by the time we get there.” Steve said as the car slowed and they turned into a parking lot. “I’m planning on telling Grace, too.” 

 _Aw, Steve, come on, man._ Danny let out a disgruntled meow. 

“I know, man, but I’d rather her know that you’re a cat than lie to her, saying ‘oh, he went missing.’ Or. . . ‘oh, he went on vacation. . .and decided not to tell you or call you.’ This is the best I can think of. And. . .if it takes the researchers and chemists a bit longer. . .she will know, and. . .we won’t have to drag anything out. And most importantly, we won’t have to lie to her.” 

Danny sighed as he felt Steve scratch his shoulders. _I guess this won’t be too bad._  

“Grace will probably like you better as a cat.” Steve chuckled as he found a parking space and pulled into it. 

Danny let out another disgruntled meow making Steve laugh. 

“I’m sorry. Come on, Danno.” Steve murmured, going to pick up Danny. 

Danny stood up and leapt into Steve’s open arms, sticking to Steve’s body as he did. 

“Ow!” Steve chuckled as he grabbed Danny’s petite, golden-blond, fluffy body and pulled him close. “Okay. Can you get yourself unstuck?” 

Danny retracted his claws as best he could and slipped them from Steve’s shirt.

Steve chuckled and rubbed Danny’s cheek. “Alright. You are learning fast. Let’s go.” 

They wandered into the store, with Danny resting on Steve’s broad shoulders as Steve pushed the store’s cart around. They did get a few odd looks, including a few double takes, as Danny sat on Steve’s shoulders. It made Steve chuckle and smile as he looked around. 

Steve had grabbed a bed, reasoning with Danny that even though he was welcome to sleep in his bed, he also had the choice of sleeping in his own bed. Steve wandered down another aisle, grabbing a small cat post. This made Danny meow loudly. 

“What?” 

Danny meowed into his ear again. 

“Well, I can’t have you tearing up my furniture. And I know you would if given the chance.” 

Danny pushed his forehead against Steve’s ear. _Yeah, I would. Especially when you weren’t looking, you ridiculous animal._

“And that way if the need rises, you also have it there to use.” Steve chuckled and set the cat post in the cart. 

They continued walking around the store. They went to the bowl selection and picked out 2 bowls. They then continued to another section. 

“I’ll be sure to make your food so you won’t have to deal with the regular cat food stuff. . .only fair because you did the same for me.” Steve said absentmindedly as he looked up at down at the shelves of cat food. “Oh, and I thank you again for that.” He gazed at the bagged foods. “Can’t taste all that good. . .” 

Danny purred and let out a soft mew in his ear. 

Steve grinned. “You like that thought, huh?” He whispered. 

Danny bopped his head against Steve’s neck. 

Steve chuckled as he continued to another section. “Oooo, kitty litter and a box. . .” He reached out for one. 

Danny growled and meowed warningly. 

“What?” 

 _Steve, I can go in a toilet still! I don’t need a box!_ He growled. 

“You need a place to. . .go, Danny. Come on.” Steve murmured as he grabbed a simple box and a bag of litter. 

 _Oh, my god! You can’t be cleaning up after me! Ugh, I know we’re together, but. . .that’s just too much!_ Danny huffed out a loud breath and growled again. _How embarrassing. . .geez. . ._

Steve only laughed at Danny’s response as he moved his cart to the cashier’s counter. 

“Hello! Oh, what a lovely cat!” The young woman said as Steve stopped at the counter. “Is it okay if I pet. . .him?” 

Steve nodded. “Him.” He turned to Danny. “What do you say, bud?” 

Danny hopped down from Steve’s shoulder onto the counter and sat in front of the woman. He let out another small, delicate sounding mew. _Alright. Let’s get this thing over with._

“What’s his name?” The woman asked as Steve put the smaller items on the counter. 

“Danny.” 

“Hello, Danny. What a handsome kitty you are!”

 _Yeah, yeah. You’re kind. Very kind._ Danny purred and allowed the woman to massage him at his shoulders. 

“How old is he?” 

“40.” Steve answered absentmindedly as he set the bowls on the counter.

“Sorry, 40?” The woman asked, clearly surprised by the number.

Steve shook himself. “Sorry. . .he’s about. . .5?” 

“Well, he looks mighty lovely.” 

Steve nodded. “Thank you.” 

“Newly acquired?” She asked as she scanned the cat post, the box, and the litter. 

“Um. . .nah, just new. . .items. I’ve known this guy for a while.” Steve said as he looked down at Danny. 

Danny looked back up at him with his blue eyes. 

“I’ve never seen a cat with his markings and that blue of an eye color. He’s really handsome looking.”

Steve looked up and smiled at her. “Well, thank you. . .from the both of us.” 

She nodded. “Must say, it’s quite different to see a cat freely in a pet store.” 

“Oh, is that against the rules?” Steve asked as he grabbed Danny to hold onto him. 

The woman shook her head as she began to scan the items. “Not that I know of. I’ve seen cats on harnesses or in open purses or carriers, but not so freely out. As long as he doesn’t run off and loose in the store, I imagine it’s okay.” 

Steve smiled. “Oh, good.” He said as he patted Danny’s rump before setting him down on the counter. 

The woman smiled. “Did you find everything you were looking for today?” 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

After purchasing the wares, and driving from the pet store, they headed to Steve’s home. The sky was painted with reds, yellows, and oranges. Steve turned down his road as he glanced up at the sky and back down to the road. “Almost there, buddy.” He murmured as he slowed his truck as he drove onto his driveway. “Well, looky here.” Steve murmured as he parked in the wide driveway. 

Danny looked at Steve, expecting that he’d tell him what was going on.

“Rachel and Grace are already here.” Steve murmured as he kept his gaze on Rachel’s car. He turned the truck off and sighed. “Okay. Here’s the window. Stay in here for a bit. I’m going to go talk to her, okay?” He said as he rolled the window down. He exited his truck and closed the door. He walked over to the car. As Steve approached the car and saw Rachel roll down the passenger window, where Grace sat.

“Ma’am.” Steve started. “Do you know how fast you were going?” Steve said in his best cop voice. 

Grace giggled. 

Steve smiled at her. “How’s it going, gals?” 

“Good.” Grace responded. “Mum said you wanted to talk to me?” 

Steve glanced at Rachel. She weakly smiled, worry etched on her face. He looked back to Grace’s bubbly face. “You are most definitely right, m’lady. You wanna go sit on the steps?” 

Grace nodded. “Sure.” 

Steve opened the door and let her hop out and run over to his small front porch. He closed the door and looked at Rachel. “Have you told her anything?” 

Rachel shook her head. “No. . .I figured you’d want to tell her and. . .you could explain things a bit better.” She said quietly. 

Steve looked over at Grace as she sat down on the steps and looked over at him. 

“Steve?” 

Steve looked back to her. 

“Um. . .how is he?”  

Steve smiled. “He’s a trooper, that’s for sure.” 

Rachel’s gaze moved away from Steve, down to the empty seat next to her. 

“Hey.”

Rachel looked up at him. 

“He’s Danny. He’ll be okay.” Steve smiled weakly at her. “We have a guy who. . .” He paused, looking at the car’s gear shift, thinking of a way to explain Dr. Robert Young to her. “He just. . .” He paused again. “He knows what he’s doing with this kind of stuff.” 

Rachel weakly smiled again. “I hope he’ll be okay.” 

Steve nodded. “He will be. It’s painful. . .changing like that, but he’ll be okay.” He said with a smile. “He’s acting the same. . .ornery, pouty, but kind. He’s very much ‘Danny in a cat’s body’.” 

Rachel smiled widely at those words. 

Steve grinned. “Alright, well. Let me chat it up with Grace.” 

“Okay.” Rachel nodded. 

Steve tapped the window frame and moved to the steps where Grace sat. Steve sat next to Grace on his steps. “How was your day, Gracie?” 

“Pretty good. I got a 96 on a test I thought I didn’t do so well on.” 

“Awe, excellent!” He offered a hand for a high five, which Grace gave him. “Great job!”

“Thanks.” Grace smiled. 

Steve paused. He gazed at the girl that smiled at him. She reminded him a lot of Danny. 

“Have you seen Danno?” Grace asked. “I texted him, but he didn’t respond.” 

Steve’s smiled fell. He took in a deep breath. “Alright Grace. . .I’m just going to get to it. I have to tell you about what happened today.” 

Grace looked up at him with wide eyes. 

“We had a case today at work. Danno and I went to a warehouse where. . .researchers were making drugs that do bad things.” 

“What kind of bad things?”

“Some were as simple as poison. Some were. . .a little more complicated than that.” Steve paused. “They. . .change people’s forms and their DNA to make them something they’re not.” 

“Okay. . .”

“And. . .things happened that lead to a fire fight and a chase and Danno. . .” Steve swallowed. “Danno got caught in the vapors of one of these drugs. . .” 

Grace continued to gaze at him. Worry streaked across her face. 

“Now, he wasn’t poisoned, he wasn’t. . .killed or hurt. . .he was just. . .” 

Danny had been waiting for a while. He hated that he had to stay in the truck for another moment longer without seeing Grace. He had spent too much of the day not being able to talk with her, and even though he would not be bale to talk with her, he could at least communicate with her the way a cat would. He hopped out of the open truck window and ran towards Steve and Grace who at on the steps of Steve’s house. 

Grace looked up at the small, light blond tabby that ran to them. She grinned. “You got a new cat Uncle Steve?” 

Steve grimaced with a smile on his face. “Kinda?” 

Danny went right to Grace and began to purr as he rubbed against her leg. 

“Danno was turned into a cat today.” Steve blurted out unexpectedly.

Grace turned to looked at Steve with an open mouth. “What?” 

“Danno accidentally brushed up against a table with a bunch of chemicals on it. One of the vials fell on the ground and he was caught in the vapors.” Steve stopped as he watched Danny rub against Grace’s legs, walking back and forth. He finally walked near Steve, brushing against his leg before going back to Grace. “Of course, we have yet to figure out how exactly those drugs worked to change him by just vapors, but. . .” He waved his hand and shook his head. “Anyway. . .”

“So. . .this is Danno?” Grace looked at Steve. 

Steve nodded. 

Danny meowed at Grace. 

Grace looked back at Danny and chuckled as Danny placed his two front paws on her knees. He sniffed the air, flaring his nostrils, inhaling Grace’s scent. Grace moved her face to his. “Hi, Danno.” Grace murmured softly. Danny touched his nose to hers and rubbed his cheek against Grace’s. Grace smiled as she offered a hand. 

Danny immediately moved his head to her hand. _Hey monkey._ She leaned over her thighs and stroked past his ears and down his back. She did it again and again and he continued to purr loudly with his front paws on her knees still.

“I honestly think that’s the happiest I’ve seen him all day.” Steve grinned as he scratched Danny’s shoulder. 

Grace smiled and then it faded. “Will he always be a cat?” 

Danny looked at her and gently put a paw on her mouth, making her and Steve laugh. 

“I guess that’s an answer.” Steve laughed. “Hopefully, no. We don’t know how long he’ll be like this, but there’s a team of researchers and scientists working on an antidote as we speak. We want one to be ready by the end of the Thursday sometime, but we’ll have to wait and see.” 

Grace sat back and looked at Danny as Danny hopped into her lap and sprawled himself in her lap. She looked sad to Steve. 

“What’s up?” 

Grace bit her lower lip. “I-I don’t know.”

Danny looked up at her and let out a small mew. He sensed something was off with his daughter. She was sad. Disheartened. Upset. 

Grace shrugged. “I. . .” She paused. 

“Gracie.” 

Grace turned to Steve. 

“I can’t promise you anything. But I can promise you that I will do anything and everything I can to care for Danno and to find a cure.” 

Grace weakly smiled at him. 

“Danno won’t be no kitty cat forever.” Steve murmured with a grin. 

Grace smile grew at Steve’s words. 

Danny mewed again and rubbed his head against Grace’s abdomen. 

“See? Danno thinks so, too.” Steve grinned as Grace laughed and petted Danny’s head once more. “Do you want to stay for a while? I can take you home. And you can spend time with Danno.” 

Grace nodded. “I’d like that, Uncle Steve.” 

Steve grinned. “Okay. Let me go talk to your mum.” He said getting up from the steps. 

Grace nodded as she kept petting Danny’s shiny, medium length, fluffy, golden coat. 

Danny purred his content loudly. He loved his daughter. Even if he was a cat, he was still a father. And Grace was still his daughter. No matter how odd it sounded. 

Steve grabbed a few bags from his car and watched Rachel leave. He closed up his truck and walked back to the steps where Grace and Danny sat. 

“You went to the pet store?” Grace smiled. 

Steve chuckled. “Yeah. We had to get a few things. Danno wasn’t to happy about some of the suggestions.” 

Danny only purred as he sat on Grace’s lap. What had happened roughly 20 minutes ago didn’t matter all that much now, especially since Danny was with Grace. 

“Should we go inside?” Steve asked. 

Grace nodded. “Yeah, sure. Come on, Danno.” 

Danny let out a little squeak as Grace picked him up, cradled him in her arms, and carried him inside. 

“Go ahead. Make yourself comfortable. I’ll call for pizza.” 

Danny let out a loud, warning meow and glared at Steve. 

“Rachel said I could. Plus, I was planning on ordering a salad, too, Danny.” Steve murmured. 

Danny hated how it was like Steve could understand him. . .like he could read his mind. It was so frustrating. _At the same time, this would be difficult if Steve didn’t know me so well. So maybe I shouldn’t be so upset with him._  

“Okaaaay. . .no soda.” Steve said as for his cell phone. 

“Aw, come on, Uncle Steve. It’s pizza! You _have_ to have soda with pizza!” Grace murmured as she walked into the kitchen with him and still holding Danny. 

Steve chuckled. “Danno? Soda?” 

Danny let out a sigh and a final meow of defeat. _Fine, fine, you slice of pineapple._  

“Alright, well Danny agrees! What soda do you want, Gracie?” Steve asked as he brought his phone to his ear. 

“7 up!” She responded immediately. 

“Okay. Hawaiian?” He asked. 

“What else is there?” Grace smiled at him. 

Danny let out a loud meow that made Grace and Steve chuckle. 

Steve, and Danny, actually, helped Grace with the small amount of homework she had and they drove her home together. With, of course, Danny sitting on Grace’s lap the whole way there. 

“Bye Danno!” Grace whispered as she picked Danny up and gave him a small squeeze. 

Danny let out a small squeak. _Okay, yeah, bye Grace!_ Danny thought with a small grimace as he felt his body being squeezed by Grace. 

Grace loosened her hold. She looked up at Steve. “Um. . .would it be okay if I. . .” She trailed off, looking at Danny and stroking his ears. 

“Come over anytime, hun.” Steve said with a smile. 

Grace smiled weakly at him. She sucked in a breath. 

Steve saw the tears in her eyes. “Hey. . .” He put a hand on her shoulder. 

Grace looked up at him. “Uncle Steve-I’m trying to be brave, but-” She turned away to face the window. 

“Gracie.” 

Grace sniffed in through her nose and breathed out before turning to Steve. 

Steve gazed at her face, especially at the tear lines that cut at him. He hated seeing Grace like this. “I will do everything I can. . .to help Danno get back. . .to being Danno.” He paused. “Okay?”

Grace nodded. 

Steve smiled at her as he ran a thumb underneath her eye to catch another final tear from falling down her cheek. “Okay. I will see you tomorrow?”  

Grace nodded with a weak smile. 

“Good.” 

Danny mewed at Grace.

“Danny wants to see you, too.” Steve grinned. 

Danny purred and stepped on her chest. He gazed into her eyes and let out a small meow. He sniffed her nose, booping it lightly before he let out his rough tongue and licked Grace gently on her nose. 

Grace grinned and petted his shoulders. “Thanks, Danno.”

“I’ll walk you in.” Steve said as he opened his door, stepped out, and wandered over to Grace’s side. He opened the door and let Grace step out. He grabbed Grace’s backpack before closing the car door. 

Grace held onto Danny as she had stepped out and shifted him to better hold him in her arms. 

Steve grinned as he walked her to the door and knocked on the door. 

Rachel answered, opening the door, and, surprisingly, having a wide smile on her face. “Hey guys!” 

“Hey mom.” 

“How was Steve’s?” 

“Good.” 

“Good. Did you finish your homework?” 

“Yeah. I would’ve been lost in my history assignment without Uncle Steve. He’s so smart.” 

Rachel smiled at her daughter. “That he is.” She paused. “Why don’t you go get ready for bed?” 

“Okay.” Grace hugged Danny gently. “Bye Danno. See you tomorrow.” 

Danny did his best to reciprocate some form of hug by holding onto her shoulder and purring loudly. 

Steve knelt down next to Grace, shrugging off her back pack and setting it down on the ground. He took Danny as Grace passed him to Steve. “Thank you, Uncle Steve.” She said as she hugged him. 

Steve hugged her with one arm, holding Danny with the other. “Anytime, hun. I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

Grace pulled and smiled. She picked up her backpack. “Goodnight.” She said as she stepped into the house. 

“Night Gracie.” 

Steve watched Grace scuttle away to get ready for bed. Steve held onto Danny and rubbed his cheek. 

“How was she?” Rachel asked with a worried look on her face. 

Steve nodded. “She was good. Excellent, in fact. She finished all of her homework and. . .had dinner. . .and she spent a lot of time with Danny.” He smiled softly. 

Rachel smiled back weakly. 

“Um. . .you may want to take it easy on her for a while. She, uh. . .” He paused. “She’s really worried about Danny.” 

Rachel nodded. “Is he. . .” She paused, seeming to hesitate greatly and think about her next sentence. “Is he. . .adjusting okay?” 

Steve nodded as he looked down at Danny and petted him. “He seems to be. Of course. . .I can imagine how hard it is. . .figuring things out as a different species.” He chuckled lightly. 

Rachel chuckled weakly. She paused again. “Can I. . .can I pet him?” 

Steve gazed at her with raised eyebrows. He then looked down at Danny. “It’s ultimately up to him. Huh Danno? What do you say?” Steve stepped closer. 

Danny looked over at Rachel. He could see the worry in her eyes. _Alright, Rachel, come here._ He meowed at her. 

Rachel gazed at the light tabby colored cat in Steve’s arms. She put out a hand. 

Steve smiled as Danny met Rachel’s hand with a purr and a head tilt into her outstretched hand. Steve glanced up at Rachel. 

“Hey Danny. How’s it going?” 

Danny purred and nudged her hand as she ran her hand over his head and down his back. 

Rachel grinned. “You make a good cat, Danny.” 

Steve chuckled as did Rachel as Danny stopped purring for a moment. “He didn’t like that, Rachel.” 

Rachel continued to chuckle for a bit and then she went back to staring at Danny. “Have they found anything?” 

Steve shook his head. “Still too early.” 

Rachel nodded, clearly troubled by the news. 

“Hey.” 

Rachel looked up at him. 

“They’ll find something. Danny’s not going to be like this forever.” Steve reassured her. 

Rachel nodded. 

“Grace needs you to believe that.” Steve said. 

Rachel nodded again. 

“Besides. . .” Steve paused. “The team may have use for a feline member.” 

Rachel smiled as she petted Danny’s shoulders. “He’s much quieter as a cat, isn’t he?” 

“Oh, no.” Steve shook his head with a smile. “If anything, he’s just as loud, if not louder, as a cat.” 

Rachel grinned again. 

Steve smiled. “Well. . .we best be getting home. Work tomorrow, you know?” 

Rachel nodded. “Of course. Um. . .thank you. For. . .Grace and. . .” She paused. “For taking care of him.” 

Steve tilted his head. 

“You mean a lot to him.” She paused. “I know. . .that’s weird coming from his ex, but. . .” She paused again with a small shake of her head. “. . .you can tell.” 

Steve had kept his gaze on Rachel and gave her a small smile. “He. . .he means a lot to me.” 

Rachel smiled gently at him. “I can tell. . .” She paused. “Many can tell.” 

Steve smiled at her and nodded. “I’ll. . .see you tomorrow then.” 

Rachel nodded. “See you tomorrow. Take it easy.” 

“Yeah, you too.” He said as he stepped away from the door and walked to the Camaro, carrying Danny in his arms. 

“Well. . .” Steve paused as he sat in the driver’s seat with Danny on his lap. “That was. . .” He pulled his seatbelt across his body and buckled himself in. “. . .surprisingly pleasant.” 

Danny purred as he sat in Steve’s lap. _Yeah, no kidding, babe._

Steve placed the keys in the ignition and turned the vehicle on. “Well, I hope that tomorrow, we wake up to good news. Huh?” Steve asked as he quickly scratched Danny’s neck. 

 _Yeah, me too_. Danny thought, feeling slightly depressed. He hoped with every fiber of his being that there would be something at the lab for him tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

Steve woke in his bed. Sunlight streamed through the window near his bed. Steve opened his eyes. He took in a deep breath as he turned to lay on his back. As he took in the deep breath, he stretched his arms above his head. As his mind drifted into consciousness, he realized that he was hearing a consistent purr next to him. He looked next to him and saw light blond tabby fluff next to his face. He grinned. “Morning, Danno.”

Danny lifted his head and turned to look at Steve. He let out a meow. _Good morning, Steven._ He blinked slowly and continued his purring. 

“Well, you seem like you’re in a good mood.” Steve murmured as he looked back up at the ceiling.

_I am. . .It’s a new day, and maybe, just maybe, today we’ll get the call with news of an antidote that will change me back._ Danny flicked his tail back and forth. 

“Glad you’re not pouting.” Steve chuckled as he closed his eyes. 

_Hey, you’re not going back to sleep are you?_ Danny got up and placed his front paws on Steve’s abdomen. He let out a small mew, trying to get Steve’s attention. 

Steve opened his eyes sleepily. “You’re gonna make me get up?” 

Danny mewed again, this time a little louder. _We have to go to work. And I’m hungry, babe._

Steve chuckled and petted the cat’s head. 

Danny moved his head to meet Steve’s hand. He purred and blinked slowly again as Steve continued to pet him. 

Steve grinned as he scratched the cat in between the shoulder blades. He yawned and put his head down on the pillow and closed his eyes again. 

_What are you doing, Steve?_ Danny hopped up on his stomach. 

“Whatchu doing, Danno?” Steve asked as he opened his eyes again. 

Danny laid down on the man’s bare chest. _I asked you first. . .feed me, you neanderthal._  

Steve chuckled and petted the cat again. “Okay, okay. I give up.” Steve wrapped his arms around the fluffy body and sat up. He scratched the cat’s neck as he swung his legs over the bed. He sat for a second, scratching Danny as he held him. 

Steve stared into the blue eyes that stared back at him. “Man, I can’t imagine what went through your mind when I was a dog.” He murmured. “I mean. . .I know you’re a cat and you’re right here, but. . .it just feels. . .” He paused. _Lonely._ He thought. 

Danny gazed at him and meowed. _I’ll be back to my normal self soon enough, Steven. Please. . .believe that._

Steve chuckled at the cat’s meow. “What am I saying? You’ll be back to being your old grumpy self soon.” 

Danny glared playfully at him and he turned his head away. 

Steve chuckled. “Okay.” Steve sighed and walked around his room. He set Danny on the bed. “I’m going to take a shower.”

Danny meowed. _Steve! I’m hungry! Augh!_  

“I’ll be 2 minutes! You know that!” 

Danny let out a quiet meow without opening his mouth. _Fine, you animal. Hah, I can say that now with it ringing true._

Steve chuckled and went into his bathroom to quickly shower. 

After his shower, Steve quickly dried himself and pulled on a pair of underpants and a pair of khaki pants. 

Danny meowed. _Really? Those pants, Steven?_

Steve looked over at Danny. “What?”

Danny let out another meow. _I like you in darker pants._

“What?” Steve asked again as he walked closer to the bed. 

Danny placed a gentle paw on the man’s thigh, pawing gently at the pant waist. 

“I don’t understand, Danno. You hungry? I know, I’ll feed you when I’m finished getting ready.” He said as he turned and put a darker shirt on. 

Danny sighed and jumped off the bed. He walked to the man’s closet and sat by the pair of darker pants. He meowed. 

Steve looked over at the sound of Danny’s meow. 

Danny looked up at the pants. He tapped them with his paw and looked back at Steve. 

“What?” Steve asked with a small smile. “You want me to wear those?” 

Danny meowed again. 

Steve chuckled. “Okay.” He gave in. He shimmied out of his khakis and took the darker cargo pants off their hanger and pulled them on. 

Danny purred as the man did so. 

Steve chuckled as he fastened his pants and threaded a belt through his belt loops. “Okay.” Steve said as he buckled his belt. “Better?” 

Danny meowed and rubbed up against his leg. 

“Okay, good. Let’s go.” He said as he walked over to the door.

Danny followed him. 

Steve fed Danny a good helping of cooked chicken and ate a bowl of oatmeal himself. As he ate, he looked at his phone, scrolling through news articles.

Danny finished what was on his plate that sat on the counter next to Steve and looked up at him as he licked his lips. He got up and walked over to Steve, who scrolled on his phone. Danny rubbed his face up against Steve’s hand that grasped onto his spoon, pausing momentarily to read whatever was on his phone. _Thank you, Commander, for breakfast._  

Steve looked over at Danny and smiled. He set his spoon in his bowl and rubbed Danny’s head. “What’s gotten into you, Danno?” He asked as he pet the cat.

Danny only purred and sat next to him on the counter. 

Steve chuckled. He picked up his spoon once more and finished his oatmeal. “Alright, Danny.” He said as he moved from the counter over to the kitchen sink. He washed his bowl and spoon, dried them, and put them away. “Time for work?” He asked as he turned and walked over to the counter Danny sat at. He placed his hands on the counter and looked at Danny. 

Danny looked up at Steve. He walked over and placed a gentle paw on Steve’s lips. 

Steve’s lips curved into a smile as Danny tapped his paw on Steve’s lips. Steve let out a soft chuckle. “Alrighty, big guy, let’s go to work.” Steve stood up and Danny leapt onto the man. Steve chuckled at the surprised jump from Danny and held him in his arms. “We’ll call the research lab in the car.” 

Danny purred and let out a soft meow. _I hope they’ve found something. I really don’t want to be your cat forever. . .even if you’d give me the best treatment any cat could ask for._

Steve smiled and rubbed underneath Danny’s chin. “Yeah, buddy, we’ll get you back to being a normal grumpy, old man.” 

Danny looked up at him and placed his paw to Steve’s lips again. 

Steve laughed. He walked with Danny towards the door. He set Danny on the ground and grabbed his gun, badge, and car keys that sat on the table near the door. 

“Alrighty, let’s go.” Steve said as he opened the door after setting the alarm.

Danny sprinted out to the Camaro. _Today’s gonna be good. I can feel it._


	3. Chapter 3

“What do we have, Chin?” Steve asked as he strode into the office space. Danny stayed in his arms for a few moments until they had just reached the tech table. He leapt from Steve’s arms onto the edge of the tech table and sat down, curling his fluffy tail around his paws.

“Hi, Steve.” Kono smiled at Steve as he smiled back at her. Kono turned to Danny. “Hi, Danny.” Kono said happily as Danny sat at the edge of the tech table. She moved over and offered her hand to him. Danny rubbed his cheek against her hand and began to purr, despite inner feelings of doubt clouding his mind. Steve had not managed to get a hold of the research lab or Dr. Robert Young. _“It may be too early for them. Or they’re busy. We’ll try again in a while.”_ Steve had reasoned as he placed his phone back in his pocket before they headed inside. 

“We got a serial arsonist. Three fires have broken out in the past 2 weeks in these areas.” Chin brought up three locations on the map. “The most recent happened last night. No one was killed in this one, but. . .it was an attack on a government building.” 

“Which one?” Steve asked. 

“Washington Place.” 

“The governor’s residence?” Steve asked, slightly alarmed.

Chin nodded. “He’s okay. . .a small part of the home was burnt, but. . .as you can imagine, this is the third and. . .” 

“One’s an incident. . .” Kono said. 

“Two is a coincidence. . .” Chin followed. 

Steve sighed. “And three is a pattern.” He paused. “How did they get past security?” 

Chin shrugged. “We don’t know. I heard something about a mix up in the shifts. . .someone thought someone else was working. . .I’m not sure, we’d have to follow up with HPD. They were investigating it before the governor called us about it.” 

Steve nodded. “Okay.” He paused again. “What makes us so sure it’s the same guy with the other fires?” 

Chin tapped on the table. “Because, at each scene, this was left somewhere in the burnt area.” He gestured to the screen. 

Steve furrowed his brows as he gazed at the picture of a burnt object. “It looks like a lighter.” He murmured as he looked at the charred item. 

Kono nodded. “Yeah.”

“Nothing special, right?” Chin said. 

Kono and Steve both shrugged. “Looks like a regular lighter.” Kono said. 

Chin smiled as he brought up another picture. “Forensics thought this is what it would’ve looked like before the fire.” He pointed to the picture of the silver zippo looking lighter. “They took a closer look at it, trying to find any trace of evidence on it and they found small engraved lines on it under a microscope.” Chin brought up another picture of lighter. It was a zoomed in picture with the letters J and B etched in cursive on the side in the corner of the lighter. 

“All of them from each scene looked like that?” 

“Yeah. . .or at least they all had the similar tiny, cursive engravings on the side in the corner. All saying. . . JB.” 

Steve nodded. “Okay. . .okay. . .maybe we can call around to stores that sell custom engraved zippo lighters. See if anyone recognizes this specific lighter. There can’t be that many of them.” 

Kono nodded. “I can get started on that.” 

“We can go over to Max. He said he found something on the victim from the first fire.” Chin said to Steve. 

Steve nodded. “Okay. Yeah. Get started on calls, Kono, and we’ll go to see Max.” He said as he went to pick Danny up and set him on the ground. 

“Hey.” 

Steve looked up at Kono. 

“Any word?” Kono asked as she looked at Danny. 

Steve sighed as he looked down at Danny. “Um. . .not yet.” 

Danny looked up at him and saw the look of discouragement on his face. 

Steve quickly smoothed his face over into a smile. “But, we are staying positive and having good thoughts that the reason why they haven’t called is because they are close to something.”

Danny still looked up at Steve. _Does he not think I’ll turn back to normal?_  

Kono smiled weakly. “We’ll get him back to normal.” 

Steve nodded. “I hope so.” 

Danny turned and walked over to Steve’s office. He walked in and trotted up to the man’s couch. He hopped up on couch and laid his body against it. Uncertainty and frustration overcame him. _Why did we go into that warehouse without back up? We could’ve waited. . ._

Danny knew that was not true. The suspects were getting away and by the time back up would’ve shown up and helped clear the area, they would’ve been long gone. 

Danny sat on the couch. He had no desire to do anything right now. _The day started off so great, too. . ._ Danny let out a sigh. _I wonder if Steve felt this disappointed. When he was a dog. God, this sucks. I’m never going to be human again._

Steve had seen Danny walk into his office. “Chin, I’ll. . .I’ll be just a second.” Steve walked into his office. He knocked on the door, causing Danny to look up at him. 

“Hey, Danno. What’s going on?” 

Danny placed his head back on his crossed paws. _Certainly me not being human. . .and possibly never being human again. . .I guess that’s what’s going on. . ._

Steve had a feeling that he knew what was going on. He walked over to the couch and sat next to the cat. “Hey.” He murmured as he patted the cat on the back.

Danny looked up at him. 

Steve gazed in the blue eyes. They looked so upset. . .slightly broken. . .very different from what he saw that morning. “You’re not going to be a cat forever, Danno.” 

Danny wished he could believe Steve. He set his head back down and gazed at the floor.

Steve skewed his lips to one side. He sat forward and pull his phone out. He clicked on his phone before he found what he was looking for. 

Danny looked up at the clicking noises and watched Steve as he tapped on the touch screen. Steve brought his phone to his ear and waited. Danny sat up and meowed at Steve. _What are you doing?_ He took his paw and tapped on Steve’s hand that sat on his knee. 

Steve smiled lightly at him. “Hey, Dr. Young. Good morning.”

_Dr. Young? Steve. . .he’s busy and. . .he probably hasn’t made any progress yet._ Danny tapped Steve’s hand again. _And what time is it back in Georgia? It know it’s later, but. . .he must be on lunch or something right now._

Steve held up a finger to Danny. “I’m great, hey, I was just wondering about the progress on Danny’s treatment.” 

Danny gazed up at him as he flicked his tail a few times. He sat next to Steve, trying to read his face. 

Steve moved his hand to Danny’s shoulders and back, gently stroking him. “Oh, you do?” 

Danny didn’t see a change in the man’s face. He neither looked disappointed nor excited. 

“Tonight? Yeah, that would be great.” 

_Tonight? I could change back tonight?_ Danny wondered as hope filled him. A light, fluttery excitement feeling fluttered in his chest. 

“Okay, yeah, we’ll be there. Thank you, thank you, Dr. Young!” Steve hung up and looked at Danny. “Dr. Young said he may be on to something. The final mixture should be ready tonight at the hospital. He said he is just getting ready to skype call with the team and show them step by step what to do for your specific cure.” He said. “What do you think?” 

Danny could feel his chest clench in excitement. _Tonight?_ Danny stepped up and stood on Steve’s leg. _Really? You’re not just foolin’, are you?_ Danny gazed at Steve with hopeful eyes. 

Steve smiled. “We’ll go tonight after work, kay? Now. . .” He rubbed Danny’s cheeks. “Should we go see Max?” 

Danny leapt up on Steve’s shoulders. He curled his body around the man’s neck and began to purr. He rubbed his cheek against Steve’s neck. _Thank you, buddy._  

Steve chuckled as he felt the pressure of Danny’s cheek against his neck. “Alright, let’s go.” He said as he stood up and walked out of his office with Danny on his shoulders.


	4. Chapter 4

Steve had finished up with Max and got back with Chin and Kono. With the evidence Max brought forward with one of the deceased also recently having a family member pass away, and Kono’s information a store gave her about the customized etchings on the lighters, they had landed a possible suspect. 

“28 year old Julien Bernard.” Kono said as she swiped on the tech table back in their offices. “He purchased the lighters with the etchings on them and his name fits the engravings. . .JB.”

“Yeah. Records say he lives, or rather lived, with his mother. . .who passed away recently.” Chin added.  

“How recent?” Steve asked. 

“Um. . .” Kono typed on the table. A few moments passed before she spoke again. “About a month ago.” 

“When the fires started. . .” Steve said with his mind wandering. 

“Well, we can deduce that his mother’s death was his stressor.” Chin murmured. 

“Yeah. . .” 

“According to his past records, he was in and out of the hospital as a kid. . .a lot. Like. . .every 6 months or so for something minor. . .stitches, sprained wrist, broken welts. . .” 

“Looks like the mother was in and out of the hospital, too.” Kono paused. “Oh, and with HPD.”

“What?” Chin asked. 

“Domestic violence. . .a lot of domestic violence. . .” Kono murmured as she scrolled down the records.  

Steve tilted his head. “So. . .kid was beaten a lot. . .bad home environment. . .” 

“And it looks like he underwent several psych eval’s when he was young. He kept on being tested as they moved and his parents kept filing for divorce and going on and on with custody battles. . .” 

As Kono finished, Steve looked over at Danny, who sat on the edge of the table. 

Danny gazed at the screen in thought. _Divorce. . .custody battles. . .wow._  

“If this is our guy, we definitely know where his behaviors stemmed from.” Chin said. 

“Yeah, no kidding.” Steve murmured. “Any history with fire?” 

“Now that’s the weird part. . .usually with serial arsonists, you can count on their childhoods being littered with permanent records of some kind, especially pertaining to fire. But. . .there’s nothing here.” Kono said. 

“Hmmm.” Chin hummed. “Weird.” 

“Yeah. How odd. . .you mentioned his mother passed away recently?” 

“Yeah, about a month ago.” Chin repeated. 

“Was he living with her?” Steve asked. 

“Let’s see. . .current residence for him. . .and. . .for her. . .yep. They were both living down Booth Road at the time of her passing.” 

Steve nodded. “Okay. . .okay. . .” He paused. “We know of any friends or family in the area?” 

Kono shook her head. “No. . .he didn’t really have friends and family’s all back on the main land.” 

“Is he employed?” 

Kono tapped on the table. “Yes. It looks like he works at Jimmy’s, a local cafe.” 

Steve nodded. “Okay. Let’s give them a call and then head over to his house.” 

“We can ask neighbors if they’ve seen anything suspicious.” Chin offered. 

“That would be good. Okay, let’s call Jimmy’s.” Steve said. 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Steve sat in Danny’s Camaro, petting Danny as the gorgeous, petite golden-blond tabby sat in his lap. He gazed at a door to a house as he stroked Danny’s soft coat. “There’s the place.” Steve murmured as his gaze went from the door to the windows that were visible from the road. “No signs of life from the house. . .” He paused. “Slightly expected, since it’s the middle of the day.” 

Danny stood up and looked out the window. 

“Yeah. . .Kono and Chin are further up the block asking questions. I told them to look as casual as possible. Since he has access to the house.”

Steve hesitated. He picked Danny up and set him in the passenger seat next to him. He opened the car door and stepped out. “Okay, Danny, stay here.” Steve murmured as he shut the door to the Camaro. 

Danny hissed. _How dare you. I’m going, whether you like it or not._ Danny jumped from his seat and out of the partially open window. 

Steve walked quickly towards the house’s front door. 

Danny quickly followed Steve at his heels. 

“Danny!” Steve murmured. “Go back!” 

Danny hissed. _No way, you animal! I’m coming and that’s final._

Steve sighed. “Fine, but if you get into trouble, you can’t say that I got you into it.” He murmured. 

Danny continued to follow him. _Yes, yes! I get it! But if either one of us is going to be getting into trouble, it will be you._  

Steve smiled as he glanced at Danny and continued up the steps to the porch. “Alright. . .” Steve paused at the front door. “I guess I could knock. . .” He brought his fist to the door and gave it several loud knocks. He looked around and listened for signs of movement in the house. When he didn’t hear anything, he reached to the door knob and tried the handle. He sighed as it jiggled, but did not open. “That would’ve been too easy.” He murmured with a smile as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. “And while it would be easy to just kick the door in, we don’t want to leave evidence of break in’s to possibly scare him into hiding.” 

Danny watched him as he opened his wallet and pulled out a single credit card. He folded his wallet and shoved it in his front pocket. Danny tilted his head as he watched Steve placed the card at the door’s crease near the lock. 

“If I. . .can just. . .” Steve paused as he jiggled the card in the door slot. Relief swept through him as the door clicked. “Sweet! We’re in!” He murmured as he opened the door. 

Danny scampered in quickly out of the heat of the Hawaiian sun. The house felt cool to him. He looked around. It looked very empty. _Probably sold the furniture to keep rent for the month. . .but why is it still so cold?_ He looked up at the air conditioner controller panel. It was set to 65 degrees and it was on and going throughout the house. _A/C on even though he’s not here? Way to jack up the utility bill. . .and at 65 degrees?_ Danny looked over at the pictures on the walls. _Still has family pictures on the wall?_ He moved closer to the wall and saw the pictures were defaced. Every picture with the man and his parents, the parents were defaced. 

Steve closed the door and followed Danny. He looked around, too. He stepped into what looked to be like the kitchen. “Hmm.” He hummed. _A few cabinets. . .no oven. . .and. . .a mini fridge. . .man must’ve downgraded to pay bills._ Steve thought as he looked at the very small set up of the dining area; a simple table and a folding chair. 

Steve turned around in the kitchen and walked out towards the rest of the house. He walked down the hall and came to a door. _A room?_ Steve tried it. When it opened, he was met with darkness. He looked beside him and saw a switch. He flipped it and saw in front of him a path of stairs leading down below the house. _A basement?_ Steve took a couple steps down and continued down. 

Danny turned from the pictures as he heard Steve open a door in the hall. He ran down the hall and to the now open door with Steve disappearing down the steps. He let out a small meow. 

Steve turned and looked behind him at the top of the stairs. “You coming?” 

Danny wasn’t sure. Sure, they needed to search the house, but. . .a basement? _This place is so freaky._

“Well, I’m going.” Steve said as he continued down the steps.

Danny sighed and followed Steve down the steps to the dark basement. They both stepped on the cement ground and looked around. It was one room and it was full of metal shelving units with boxes upon boxes sitting on each shelf.

Steve stepped more and more into the room. His hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he walked around one shelving unit. 

Papers, pictures, and maps were littered all over the room. They were taped to the shelves and the wall near to where the shelves were placed. Red, blue, green, and black ink covered the papers. 

“What is this?” Steve wondered out loud as he looked closer at the writing on one of the papers.

Danny looked at the papers. Whatever it was, it didn’t look good. 

Danny glanced over the papers as Steve took out his phone and started taking pictures. _This is crazy. Plans for bigger fires? And a get away plan to move to the states? This is insane!_ Steve finished with the pictures and looked around. “This is crazy.” Steve murmured as he looked around.

Danny whipped around as he heard very soft footsteps upstairs. 

“I’m going to send these to Chin and Kono.” Steve murmured as he tapped on his phone. 

Danny went up to Steve and tapped his leg. _Buddy, come on. Someone’s here._

Steve looked down at him. “What?” 

Danny was desperate. He sprinted towards the stairs, moving around the shelving units with boxes stacked on them. 

Steve furrowed his brow as Danny disappeared around the shelves. _What’s gotten into-_ Steve didn’t have time to finish his thought as he was hit along side his head and everything went black.


	5. Chapter 5

Danny heard a sickening thud on the floor back in the center of the shelving units. His stomach dropped as he turned around and slowly walked over to where he heard the noise. He kept out of view but heard the sound of liquid trickling on the ground and on paper. He was certain that whoever he had heard upstairs was now downstairs. Danny looked between a pair of boxes. A man frantically moved around the area, holding a large red canteen. 

Danny’s stomach dropped as the man poured the contents of the canteen on Steve’s unconscious body. Some fumes made their way to Danny’s nose. _Oh, no. . .that’s not water. . .it’s gasoline._ Danny watched in horror as the man completely dumped the rest of the can’s contents on Steve’s body and tossed it away. 

The man moved to the stairs before Danny heard the flick of lighter. . .

A few seconds of silence. . .

And then. . .

The roar of gasoline catching the flames as the lighter hit the ground with the loudest clang Danny ever heard in his life.

Danny watched as the whoosh of flames consumed 2 shelving units in under 5 seconds. _Oh, my god!_ That same feeling of his stomach dropping he felt when he was human was now present, even as a cat. Danny raced out of his hiding place over to Steve. 

Danny kneaded Steve’s bicep, extracting his claws in hopes to wake the man up. _Steve, please._ He thought in complete desperation. Inwardly, he felt like he was falling apart. He looked around. His eyes landed on an open window that lead out to floor level. It was big enough for Danny to get through. . .

_If only I had something to jump on and get up there. . ._

Danny turned back to Steve as the flames got bigger. He pawed at Steve’s nose. _Please, Steve, wake up!_ It was no use. _I need to get out of here. I need to get us out of here._ Danny thought as he looked over at the window. _I need to get us help._  

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Steve slowly opened his eyes. A great pain overwhelmed the back of his head. “Oh, god.” He murmured. He quickly came to his senses and looked around. The place was on fire. Smoke was filling up the room. Flames licked up shelving units and was spreading quickly. He looked down at himself. He was covered with something wet. It smelled like gasoline. “Oh, fuck.” He whispered. 

Steve shot up on his feet and was greeted by an overwhelming dizziness as he stood up fully. He wobbled on his legs but then collected himself. He stripped off his shirt and threw it to the ground. A panic set in as he looked around for Danny and didn’t see him. “Danny?” He called out. 

Danny turned to look at Steve as he had just been about to jump from a shelving unit to the window. He let out a loud meow. 

Steve turned at his meow. Relief flooded through him. “Danny!” He moved to Danny and went to pick him up. 

_Oh, no. If he picks me up, he won’t see the window._ Danny thought. He glanced at the window and jumped. 

And totally failed. 

Steve watched as Danny hit the wall and landed squarely on all of his feet. “Danny, what is your issue?!” He said with alarm in his voice. 

Danny leaped up in his arms and meowed.

Steve looked over at the wall that Danny jumped at. _Oh, my, god._ “A window.” He whispered. He moved quickly over to it. He helped Danny up and through the open window. “Go Danny! Get Chin and Kono! Call the fire department!”

Danny looked back at Steve for a second before sprinting away towards the end of the street. 

Steve looked back to the mess before him. He maneuvered around the burning shelving units. He sprinted up the steps, coughing as he inhaled the smoke that rose to higher levels. He tried the door, but it didn’t work. “Are you kidding me?!” Steve shouted. He pounded on the door. “Let me out, you sick son of a bitch!” He felt himself beginning to panic. He paused. _Okay, stop. . .best thing is to keep low._ He moved down the stairs and moved back to the window. He looked around and began opening some boxes for anything blunt. He pulled a stapler out and moved to the window. He moved the stapler towards the window with all his might and smashed the window. 

Steve gasped as the shattered pieces of the window covered the ground near him and outside. “HELP!” He shouted as he held onto his hand that had a few gashes in it from the broken glass. Steve tilted his head back against the wall. _Damn it._ He thought _. How am I going to get out of this?_


	6. Chapter 6

Danny ran. He ran as fast as he could down the street. He looked at the houses as he passed and searched for Chin and Kono. He turned around the corner and saw Chin and Kono walking down the street together. 

Danny let out a loud meow after them. “GUYS!” He caught up to them. 

Chin and Kono turned around and stopped. “Danny, that was loud.” Chin murmured. 

Danny went up to Kono and tapped her leg. “What’s gotten into you?” Kono asked as she bent down to pick him up.

Danny turned and moved to the source of his distress. _Come on guys._ He meowed again. 

Kono went up to him and leaned over to pick him up again. Danny dodged her and moved up the street again before looking back at her. 

“Danny, what’s wrong?” 

Danny leaped a few steps ahead. _Please, come on, guys!_

Chin tilted his head. “Where’s Steve?” He asked with a bit of alarm. 

Kono and Chin looked at each other and knew in that moment something was horribly wrong. They both began to follow Danny as Danny walked, jogged, and then moved into a sprint as they followed after him. 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“HELP!” Steve coughed as he shouted out the window. “Please. . .” He coughed some more as he sank to the floor. He tried to stay low as smoke and heat surrounded him. “Help me.” He said quieter. His surroundings began to blur as his breaths became shallow and short. He rested against the wall. 

In his darkening vision, he heard footsteps with the flickering flames. He saw a figure dressed in a fire suit. But, the figure didn’t look like a fire fighter. “Please. . .help. . .me. . .” Steve choked out.

The next thing he knew, everything went black once more.


	7. Chapter 7

Danny raced to the house. His heart pounded in his chest as he ran across the property over to the window where smoke quickly flowed out. He scurried into the building, not even looking to land on a squishy, soft surface. Danny looked down. It was Steve. He had landed on Steve’s body and it only took a second to realize that Steve was not awake. 

Danny’s throat felt dry and his eyes hurt from the thick smoke that clouded the downstairs. He looked around and meowed as loud as he could. “CHIN! KONO! PLEASE!” Danny desperately vocalized as he sat near Steve. His cries came in loud, distressed sounding meows. He turned and looked at Steve’s face. The man was still breathing, but not for much longer. 

Danny heard a loud smashing noise above him. He looked to the stairs. He hoped Chin and Kono had heard him. 

In seconds, he saw a figure in the smoke. It was Chin. 

“CHIN!” Danny meowed. _Oh, thank god!_ Relief flooded over him as he saw Chin carefully move around the flames. 

“Danny! You need to get out.” Chin yelled to him as he picked him up and moved him to the window.

Danny fidgeted as Chin placed him outside the window. _Chin! No! I want to stay!_ He turned around and watched as Chin heaved Steve up on his back and began to carry him. Danny hopped down from the open window and ran behind to catch up to Chin.

“Danny! I told you to stay outside.” Chin said as he moved up the stairs with Steve. 

_No, you didn’t, you said ‘you need to get out.’ Difference, Chin._ Danny thought as he ran up the stairs. He kept looking back and making sure Chin was heading up the stairs. 

Chin heaved Steve up the stairs and quickly moved out the house. 

Danny walked outside and had a few fits of coughs. _Oh, god._ He felt dizzy and lightheaded as he inhaled the oxygen outside. 

Chin gently placed Steve on the grass, away from the house. “Steve. . .” Chin tapped Steve’s arm. “Buddy, come on.” Chin placed fingers on his neck, feeling for a pulse. 

Danny got over his fit and moved over to Steve’s body. He put his front paws on Steve’s thigh, looking over the man’s figure, feeling helpless. 

Chin leaned over and listened at Steve’s nose and mouth. “Okay, he has a pulse and he’s breathing.” Chin murmured as he pulled his mic to his radio. “I need an ambulance and fire team at 4305 Booth Road now!” He shouted into the mic. He looked back to Steve to make sure he was comfortable. He looked over at Danny with concern all over his face. 

Danny gazed at him. _I know you’ve done all that you can, Chin._  

Chin smiled weakly at him and petted his head. “Good work, Danny.” 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It had been 2 hours since Steve had been rushed to the hospital. The fire department got to the house quickly and were working on the house as well as helping with Steve until the ambulance was able to get there. During the whole ordeal of getting Steve out, Kono had taken off after, who they suspected was, Julien Bernard. She had run but he was able to slip away from her, getting into a car parked a few streets over and take off. She had the license plate number and the car description.  

Back at the hospital, Danny had been smuggled in, by Kono and Chin, of course, and was now sitting on Steve’s lap, watching, waiting till the man woke up. 

But Steve hadn’t woken up. 

Yet.

Kono had walked in and over to the bed. Danny had sleepily looked up at her. “Danny?” 

Danny mewed at her as he sat up and stretched out, arching his back and he sat. _Kono, what’s up girl?_  

Kono smiled softly at him. “The researchers were able to isolate your DNA from the hair follicles that we pulled off your combs and brushes. They have tested the reversal with the blood they drew from you when you first turned. It worked. They saw. . .your feline cells turn back to human cells. They’re ready to try. . .if you are. . .” She concluded. 

Danny looked over at Steve, the man continuing to rest in another world. 

“Steve will be awake later. . .you can surprise him.” Kono said with a smile. 

Danny looked back at Kono. _That would be a nice surprise. . .waking up and finding me back to being human. . .maybe I should do it now. . ._ Danny meowed at Kono as he walked over to the edge of the bed, near where Kono stood. 

“Are you ready?” Kono asked with a smile. 

Danny hesitated again and looked back at Steve. _Will it hurt? When it happened to Steve. . .he was in so much pain. . ._

“Steve will be okay for a fews hours without you.” Kono said. 

Danny looked back to Kono. _Okay. . .let’s do it. . .I’m ready to be human again._  

Kono smiled as she picked him up and walked out of the room down the hall. They made their way to all the way down the hall and into the laboratory/research room.  

Kono walked in and approached a steel table, setting Danny down on it. “Alright, he’s here.” Kono said to the researchers that whizzed around her to get the final things together. 

“Excellent, let’s get started!” 

Kono leaned over. “I’ll be just outside, okay Danny?” 

Danny looked at her and meowed. _What if I want you here?_  

Kono smiled and pet him. “I can’t wait to understand you again.” She chuckled. 

Danny felt uncertain. 

Kono petted him a while longer before turning and moving to the door. 

Danny let out a sigh as a duo of researchers approached him. 

“Hello, Detective Williams. My name is Nick and this is Brian. We have been chatting long distance with Dr. Robert Young and he was able to walk us through the formation of this compound. So, what we’ll do is shave up a bit of your front leg, clean it, and give the reversal I.V. after a catheter placement, alright?”

Danny stared at the two gentlemen. _This is it, I guess. . ._ Danny thought as the men approached him. 

“Okay, Detective Williams, here we go.” Nick said calmly as he picked up electric clippers. 

The clippers ran across his front leg and cut Danny’s fur. The vibrations felt odd to Danny. “I’m just gonna put my hands around you and on your leg to help Nick, alright?” Brian murmured and did as he said.

Danny felt slightly comforted, even if this man was a complete stranger. _I wonder how cats feel when this gets done to them. . .they must feel some kind of comfort with being restrained or being held-shit, that’s cold!_ He fidgeted only slightly. 

“Sorry, that was a bit cold, huh?” Nick said as he wiped the area with a wet gauze. It smelled like a chlorhexidine scrub. Danny settled as Brian held him easily. 

“Okay, we ready?” Nick asked as he wiped his fingers on his lab coat and grabbed a long, plastic needle-looking thing. He uncapped the catheter. 

“Alright, I’m going to hold off this vein.” Brian said. He applied pressure to the limb and rolled his finger as he locked Danny’s elbow in place. 

_I hope this won’t hurt too much._ Danny thought. _I wonder why they’re doing it I.V. Steve had it introduced into his system by mouth. . .and he turned back-okay not turned back ‘okay’ or ‘fine’, he did have difficulty, but is there a way you can get it by mouth rather than injection? That’s what she said. . ._ Danny thought mischievously. If he could, he would’ve chuckled at the ‘that’s what she said’ joke. _Steve would’ve laughed at that._ He thought with an inward smile. He felt just a small poke in his arm and saw the catheter fill with his blood. Nick quickly capped it with the catheter plug and taped the catheter in place. Nick placed an I.V. line from a saline bag into his catheter. “Alright. This is only saline, no biggy, it helps move the reversal into your body a bit more quickly.” He murmured as he watched the I.V. bag’s drip chamber. 

Danny tilted his head. _Will it hurt? I guess, that’s my one question now. . .will it hurt?_

“Now, from what you remember with Commander McGarrett, when he turned the first time, and the second time, he was in some substantial amount of pain. However, with the chats that we’ve had with Dr. Robert Young, we were able to combine a drug in the reversal that will help lessen the pain. It may not get rid of it, but it will definitely not be as intense as Commander McGarrett described it to be.” 

That made Danny feel slightly more better. 

“Okay, we have good flow. Alright.” Nick grabbed the syringe full of a yellowy fluid. “Here we go.” He said as he uncapped the needle. He placed the syringe in the port of the catheter’s PRN. He slowly pressed on the butt of the syringe. 

A few moments passed and Danny sat there. He began to feel a slightly uncomfortable heat creep through his body. And then. . .

Pain. . .searing pain. . .the worst pain he had ever endured in his life. He could feel himself make movements to yell and scream but nothing came out. Things felt like they were stretching, pulling, tearing. . .breaking. 

And then. . .

It was done. . .the major pain was gone. The only thing Danny felt now was a dull ache and pain all through his body. He sucked in gasps of air as his body settle away from the major pain he felt moments ago. However, with the pain settling away, Danny felt himself going. . .his vision was blurry and before he knew it, he had passed out on the hospital bed. 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“Danny?” 

Danny’s vision blurred as he awoke from his sleep. He blinked a few times as he looked to the side of his hospital bed. 

“Danny?” 

Danny looked around the white room. His eyes came and focused on Dr. Robert Young. “Dr. Young? I thought you were back in the states. What are you doing here?” 

He smiled. “I made a special flight out for a special case of likes. . .I may have seen before. ” 

Danny weakly smiled. 

“How do you feel?” 

“Very tired and weak.” Danny grumbled roughly. 

Dr. Young smiled at him. “We gave you a sedative that will help you sleep for the next few hours. It should take affect in a few minutes. You’ll wake up, then, we’ll take some blood, and test to make sure that the compound is working on a larger scale.” 

Danny nodded sleepily. “Where’s Steve?” 

Robert tilted his head. “He’s. . .” He paused. “He’s still in recovery. Still sleeping.” 

“Can I see him?” 

“When you wake, Danny.” 

Danny began to feel the effects of the sedation. He was too tired to fight back. As much as he wanted to see Steve, to make sure he was okay, he knew that he would not make it past his hospital room door. “Okay.” 

Dr. Young patted Danny’s arm. “Just sleep for now, Danny. He’ll be here when you wake up.” 

Danny nodded as he closed his eyes. “Okay.” He murmured. Before he could think any further, his body relaxed into the bed and he drifted off to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Several hours later, Danny opened his eyes. His body felt sore and tight. He stretched in a bed he laid in as he took in a deep breath and exhaled. He lifted his head and looked around. He was alone in the room. He laid his head back in his bed for a moment. He moved his blankets down and moved his legs to the side of his bed. He rubbed his eyes and stood up. 

Just then, Dr. Young walked into the room. “Danny! You’re up.” 

Danny smiled. “Yeah.” 

Dr. Young smiled. He moved towards Danny and took a light out of his coat pocket. “How are you feeling?” He asked as he took his light and turned it on. He pointed it in Danny’s eyes. 

“Pretty good. A little groggy and sore, but pretty good.” Danny said as he looked directly into the doctor’s eyes. 

“Good, good. Look up.”

Danny did so. 

“Any nausea or vomiting?” Dr. Young asked as he looked in both of Danny’s eyes. 

“Nope.” Danny said. 

“Open up.” Dr. Young said, pointing the light in his mouth. “Stomach cramps, bloating, abdominal pain?” 

Danny opened his mouth and stuck his tongue out. “Ah-eh.” He shook his head slightly. 

“Good, good.” Dr. Young said as he clicked his light off. “Alright.” He took the stethoscope off his neck and placed the ear pieces in his ears. As he did so, Danny slowly sat up straight, figuring the doctor would want to listen to his heart and lungs. 

“I’m going to place my stethoscope on your skin directly, that okay?” 

Danny nodded as he undid the top of his gown. 

Dr. Young placed the cool bell to Danny’s chest. Danny waited as he felt the bell move along the right side of his chest. 

“Okay, in.”

Danny took in a deep breath. 

“Out.” 

Danny exhaled. 

“Again.”

Danny took in a deep breath and let it out. 

“One more.” 

Danny did it once more. 

“One more.”

And again Danny did it. 

“Good thank you.” He murmured. He moved his stethoscope out of Danny’s hospital gown. “Would you feel comfortable with me checking your abdominal sounds?”

Danny nodded his head as he lifted his gown to reveal his abdomen. “That’s fine.” He murmured. 

Dr. young placed a hand on his shoulder. “Alright. Go ahead and lay down.”

Danny laid on his back and relaxed on his bed. He let out a sigh as Dr. Young placed his bell on his midsection. He trailed along his stomach, pausing for several seconds before moving the bell further down. 

Dr. Young took the ear pieces out of his ears and placed the stethoscope on his neck. “Alright.” He murmured as he turned away, writing things on a file. 

Danny shimmied his gown down and settled on the hospital bed. 

“We’ll take some blood and test it, and keep you for a few days, okay?” He said as he completes his notes. “As of right now, your heart sounds good as do your lungs and your gut movements. No abnormalities right now.” He said with a small smile. 

Danny nodded. “Um. . .may I go see Steve after they get my blood?”

Dr. Young smiled at him. “He’s in room 17.” 

Danny smiled. “Thank you.”

Dr. Young nodded. “A technician will be in shortly to take a few samples.” 

“Okay. Thank you.” Danny called after him. He sat down on the hospital bed and waited. His thoughts drifted to earlier that day. . .

Danny glanced at the clock. _Actually, it was yesterday. . ._ He thought as he stared back at the floor. He remembered sprinting to the house. He had heard the gasps of Chin and Kono as they looked at the house for a few seconds before they jumped into action. He remembered himself managing to crawl back through the window and check on Steve. The man was passed out. Flames were close to him. The place was heavy with smoke. 

A lot of smoke. . .that’s mainly the last thing that Danny remembered. 

Danny shook himself out of his thoughts as he heard a loud knock on the hospital door. He looked up. 

“Mr. Williams. I’m glad to see you up.” The technician said. 

Danny smiled and nodded. “Glad to be up.” 

The woman laughed. “I’m just here to get some blood from you.” 

Danny nodded. He pulled up the sleeve of his gown on his left side. “This side okay?”

The technician nodded. “Yep.” 

Danny waited as the woman quietly wrapped his arm with a band and wiped his arm. He felt the smooth, but sharp prick of the needle in his vein and the woman drained a good four six milliliter vials of his blood.

“Alrighty.” She said as she undid the wrap and taped a cotton piece to arm. “We can keep that on for about 10 minutes and then take it off.”

“Thank you.” Danny said.

“Mmhmm.” The woman hummed. 

Danny sat on the bed for little bit as he watched the woman clean up. “May I step out to see a hospital patient?” 

The woman nodded. “Yes, of course, as long as you’re feeling well enough. Dr. Young will be looking at your samples for the next half hour to an hour. I know he would like to see you after that. And you may be tired after your visit. The light sedation will still be in your system until tomorrow morning. I also believe your friends brought you a change of clothes. . .if you’d like to change.” 

Danny nodded. “Okay, thank you.” He said as he stood up from the bed. He stretched as the woman walked out of his room. He glanced over at a chair, where he saw the change of clothes. He moved over to the chair and began to change. Straightening his shirt over his sweatpants, he walked to the door to his room. He pulled open the door and stood outside his room for a few moments, looking up and down the hallway. Then, he walked down the hall to the room he knew Steve was in. He paused at the open door and looked in. 

The man was sleeping. He was still hooked up to oxygen, via a mask, but he looked a lot better than he did when they were back at the house. 

Danny smiled and walked over to the bed. He stopped at the bed’s edge. Danny gazed at Steve’s face. He smiled weakly when he noticed the few strands of gray in the man’s hair. _He needs to shave._ Danny thought as he looked at the scruff appearing along his jawline. _But, he looks handsome with facial hair._ Danny placed a hand on Steve’s that laid at his side in the bed. _Of course, he always looks handsome. . .he’ll never think he does, but he is._ He watched Steve’s chest as he took in small breaths and then took in a deep breath every so often. He watched Steve for a while. 

And then. . .

Steve’s eyes slowly opened. He blinked twice and looked around. He was in a clean white room. There was some light, but he knew it was dark outside. His gaze came to rest on the man that stood before him. Blurred vision began to slowly focus on the blond hair and blue eyes that stared at him. His mind tried to comprehend the figure before him. Not truly believing that he was seeing his Danno, Steve tried anyway. “Danny?” He asked in a very raspy sounding voice.  

Danny smiled softly. “Hey.” 

Steve blinked sleepily, closing his eyes for a few moments. “I’m. . .I’m dreaming. . .aren’t I?” He asked in a whisper as he opened his eyes again. 

Danny shook his head. “No. You’re awake and staring at your boyfriend.” 

Steve shook his head slowly. “I don’t believe it. This is a dream. My Danno is smaller. . .furry. . .and meows when trying to get my attention.” 

Danny grinned. He leaned in closer. “Do you still think this is a dream?” He asked in a whisper as he placed his lips against Steve’s neck, carefully and slowly trailing up to his jawline near his ear. 

Steve smiled weakly and began to chuckle. “Real Danno wouldn’t kiss my neck like that. . .especially in a public place, like the hospital. . .” 

Danny grinned. “He makes exceptions.” Danny murmured before he applied a soft suction, moving his lips against the man’s neck. 

“Danno wouldn’t hoover my neck into a hickie either.” Steve chuckled.

Danny chuckled and finally playfully nipped at Steve’s neck. 

Steve dropped his jaw as he felt the small pinch. “Ow!” He chuckled. “Real Danno wouldn’t do that either!” 

Danny leaned back. “How can I convince you that this is real?” 

Steve shook his head. “Real Danno would know. . .” He murmured tiredly. 

Danny squinted at him as a thought popped into his head. “You have exactly 3 dark freckles on the underside of your shaft. . .all approximately 2 inches from your ball sack.” He grinned as he saw Steve turn to him and stare. “I know that you know that I, besides yourself, know that about you. Because, as you had said, no one had ever noticed that about your. . .” He paused and his grin turned wider. “Lovely. . .Commander. And we proceeded to joke about how you would’ve received those freckles, because it’s not like you wave it around outside in the sun.” 

Steve struggled through a fit of laughter, curling his body up as he attempted to laugh, still so weak and clearly affected by the fire. As he chuckled, he began to cough. It took him quite a bit to settle back down and slow his coughing. 

“And then, that night, we proceeded to make love like no other couple has ever done before.” 

Steve coughed with a smile on his face. 

“Believe me now?” Danny asked with a small chuckle. 

Steve grinned. “Yes.” He weakly coughed once more.

Danny weakly smiled at him.

“Ah, damn.” Steve wheezed out. He reached for Danny’s hand and held it, rubbing his fingers along Danny’s. He moved to the bed’s edge, sitting up slightly. “Come here.” He murmured as he pulled his oxygen mask down. 

“Babe, you still need oxygen.” Danny murmured as he moved closer. 

“I need to kiss my boyfriend, that’s more important right now.” Steve said as he inched closer. 

Danny smiled lightly at the thought of Steve needing his kiss then. . .needing _him_ then. Danny closed his eyes and their lips met. 

It felt like their lips stayed together for a long while, which didn’t bother either of them one bit. It felt like an eternity since they had last kissed, but this one kiss made up for that time. They’re lips moved in unison, feeling every wrinkle, every groove along the other’s lips. They both could not believe things were, for the most part, back to normal. Back to normal living and loving with each other, as well as loving every imperfection to one that was perfection in the other’s eyes. 

Danny had to be the one to pull, still worried about the lack of pure oxygen Steve was getting. “Okay, big SEAL, you kissed your boyfriend, now please put the oxygen back on?” 

Steve smiled and did so. He laid back in bed and took in a deep breath. 

Danny smiled back at him. He was so happy to be back to normal and have back and forth’s with Steve.

Steve rubbed Danny’s fingers again. “So. . .did it hurt?” 

Danny tilted his head. “Um. . .yes and no. I thought it would hurt more, but. . .it was pretty mild from how you described it. I think it had a lot to do with Dr. Young’s recommendations for different mixing. I heard he added more ingredients to make the change back less painful.” 

Steve looked at him. “Oh, that’s good.”

“Yeah. I. . .I’m glad that I didn’t have too much pain.” Danny said. 

“Yeah, rub it in.” Steve grinned at him.

Danny chuckled. He brought his chuckling down. “Do you remember what happened?” 

Steve swallowed. “Um. . .we were in the Bernard house. . .in the basement. . .we got locked in. . .a fire was started. . .I pushed you out of a ground window. . .and. . .I presumed you got help because I’m here right now.” Steve said with a small smile. 

Danny smiled. “Did you see anyone?” 

Steve closed his eyes and nodded. “A man. . .in a fire suit. . .watching me. . .and then. . .I passed out.” 

“A man in a fire suit?” Danny asked. “You mean. . .like a firefighter?” He wondered. Steve could be confused. He may be mixing the events up in his head. 

Steve shook his head. “No, it wasn’t a firefighter. He was in the basement. If he were a firefighter, he would’ve come straight to me. Not stand there and watch me. Plus. . .it was only a few minutes after you left.” 

Danny began to feel angry. Had Julien been trying to kill Steve and watch him die in the fire? Why would he try to kill Steve? Why would he want to hurt Steve so much as to burn him alive? 

“Hey, babe?” 

Danny looked back to Steve. “Hmmm?” He smiled lightly at Steve. 

Steve gazed at Danny sleepily. “I love you.”

Danny’s small smile turned into a wide one. “I love you, too.” Danny smiled weakly as Steve coughed and winced in immense pain as he did. 

“Ah, fuck.” Steve murmured as he wheezed in and out after finishing his bout of coughing. 

Danny gazed sympathetically at him. “You okay?” 

Steve nodded. “Hurts like hell.” 

“What’s the extent of your injuries?” 

“Smoke inhalation. . .minor burns. . .a few cuts. . .dehydration. . .” He paused as he swallowed. “Minor stuff, ya know?” 

“Doesn’t sound like minor.” Danny said with raised eyebrows. 

“Smoke inhalation is the worst part, I promise.” Steve said in a raspy voice. “Is there any water?” He asked as he lifted his head to look around in the room. 

“Uh. . .” Danny glanced behind him on the cart with a pitcher and stack of plastic glasses on it. “Yeah.” He stood up and walked over to it. He grabbed the packaged cups and ripped it open. He grabbed a glass, filled it with the water from the pitcher, and walked back over to Steve’s bed. 

Steve attempted to sit up on his own, but was having a difficult time of it. As he had tried to though, Danny was right at his side to help him up.

“Hey, easy, babe.” Danny murmured as he helped Steve sit up. 

Steve sat up and pulled his oxygen mask down. He took Danny’s hand that held the cup. Danny slowly brought the water to Steve’s lips. Steve drank quite a bit, completely parched. He let out a gasp as he moved away from the cup.

Danny moved the cup away and helped Steve sit back in the bed. Danny turned to set the empty cup on the cart. 

Steve, exhausted from the activity, laid back in his bed, breathing heavily. 

Danny turned back around and went to the bed. He noticed that Steve had laid back and close his eyes against the pillow. _Poor thing. The simplest thing exhausts him._ Danny thought sympathetically as he gazed at Steve. “Hey, Hun.”

Steve opened his eyes to momentarily look at Danny. 

Danny smiled weakly. “Let’s keep the mask on as much as possible, kay?” He said as he moved the mask back on Steve’s face. 

Steve groaned playfully and allowed Danny to position the mask over his face. Danny finished and went to move his hand down to his side, but Steve grabbed at it, he moved it closer to his body and interlaced their fingers.

Danny smiled and squeezed the man’s hand. 

“Where’s. . .Chin and Kono?” Steve asked as he looked up at Danny. 

“Back at HQ. They’re trying to find Bernard. They got the pictures you were going to send to them with your phone before. . .” He paused. “Before you got hit and knocked unconscious.” 

Steve nodded. “Any leads to. . .where he may be?” 

“We’re checking into airports around the area. They are very certain that he’s still on the island. None of his accounts have been touched, so. . .no fluctuation with the money indicates. . .” 

“He’s staying put till things die down.” Steve murmured as he brushed his thumb along Danny’s finger. “God, finding him. . .is going to be like trying to find. . .a needle in a haystack.” 

“Not necessarily. See. . .he’s socially inept, right? He’s not going to have a lot of friends, or people that know him. And since we have his picture, once we blast it around on the media, people will be on the look out for him too.” 

Steve nodded. “That’s true.” 

Danny smiled. “And you know how we’ll catch him?” 

Steve quirked an eyebrow. “How?” 

“By having our leader well rested, and ready to kick ass.” Danny murmured as he helped the hospital blankets up around the man’s chest. 

Steve smiled. “You can get this guy. . .without me.” He chuckled.

Danny smiled back. “I know, but. . .I was trying to make you feel better.”

Steve chuckled. “Danny, I’m a man, and a SEAL. . .I don’t _feel_ anything, remember?” 

“Now, that’s a lie. I know you feel.” Danny said. 

“Yeah, I do. . .society says I shouldn’t but I do.” Steve replied, still breathing heavily. 

Danny smiled softly. “As you should. How else would I know that you love me?” 

Steve grinned. “I would’ve figured out some way to express it.” 

Danny chuckled as he squeezed hand. “Oh, I love you.” 

Steve continued to smile at him. “I love you, too.” 

Danny gazed at him. “Get some sleep, okay?” 

Steve nodded and blinked sleepily. “I guess if I have to.” 

“Hey, you look exhausted.” 

Steve rubbed his fingers against Danny’s. “You will be here when I wake up?”

Danny nodded. “Yeah. . .unless Kono and Chin call, then I may step out.” 

Steve shook his head. “No. . .I mean. . . _you’ll_ be here. . .”

Danny grinned as he think he understood what Steve was asking. “I don’t plan on changing back, if that’s what you’re asking.” 

Steve smiled. “I love you, no matter what you are, but. . .I do prefer you as a human.”

Danny smiled. He stood up and leaned over the bed. He gently kissed Steve’s forehead and sat back down in his chair. “I’ll still be human when you wake.” He murmured. 

Steve sighed out as he closed his eyes. “Good.” He paused. “Because I think I owe you. . .a drink?” 

“Dinner. . .” Danny murmured. 

“Dinner and. . .a night of romance?” Steve murmured with his eyes still closed. 

“Dinner, night of romance doing. . .?” Danny fished, trying to help Steve think ahead. 

“Games. . .” Steve murmured. 

Danny tilted his head with a smile. “Games?” 

“Yeah, board games, video games, card games. . .doesn’t really matter. . .loser blows victor.” 

Danny chuckled. “Not what I was thinking of romance, but. . .I like it. It’s very. . .us.” 

Steve smiled, with his eyes still closed. “It is.”

Danny smiled at the man. “Okay, we’ll do that. But for now, you need to sleep, Steven.”

“Okay, Danno.” Steve murmured as he relaxed into his pillow and breathed easily. 

Danny continued to hold the man’s hand, feeling it relax and essentially go limp. He gently set the hand down and sat in a chair. _Once he’s better, everything will go back to normal. . .well, what we define as normal._ Danny thought with a smile. He gazed at Steve. _I hope he’s okay. I know he said he was, but. . .I know he holds in a lot of his pain._ He sighed as he studied the man’s face. _God, I love him. . .I love him so much._


	9. Chapter 9

Several days passed by. With the first few days, Steve would delight in seeing Danny for several hours during the day when they both weren’t sleeping or being treated. Steve delighted in life more when they permitted Danny to move into his hospital room. While they couldn’t exactly sleep together yet, sleeping near each other was a nice substitute.

Especially when they would turn their heads to look at each other. . .gazing into each other’s eyes, saying nothing to each other. Even through the nothingness, they both knew those gazes, those sessions, of staring deeply into each other’s eyes, meant everything. 

And as the sessions would come to an end with one of them, typically Steve, slowly closing their eyes and the other, typically Danny, would spend only seconds before closing his own and drifting off to sleep. 

On their fourth, and hopefully final, day in the hospital, Kono and Chin had called of news that they had caught Julien Bernard at a privately owned air strip. He had plans to sit it out at a nearby abandon shed until things went away with his name. 

Steve breathed a sigh of relief as Danny had answered the phone and spoke to Kono. He could hear Kono speak on the other end of the line as Danny listened to her.

“Okay, Kono thanks. . .yeah, yeah, I’ll tell him. Alright. Bye.” Danny hung up his phone and turned to Steve, who was looking at him expectantly. 

“They caught Bernard. He’s being processed as we speak.” 

Steve let a breath out through his nose and said nothing. 

“What’s up?” Danny asked as he took note of the odd response from Steve. 

Steve shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just. . .” He paused as he shifted in his bed. “Sometimes it’s hard putting people away.”

Danny furrowed his brows. “Steve, hun. . .he tried to kill you. . .and you’re showing sympathy towards him. . .” Danny shook his head. “I. . .” 

Steve shrugged. “I know. . .but. . .you know. . .sometimes, it’s just. . .hard.”

Danny knew what he was talking about. Some cases he did feel bad for the perpetrators, or ‘the bad guys’. At points, they did have heart tugging back stories that sometimes make people feel sorry for them. He stood up and moved close to Steve. He took the man’s hand and looked to his eyes. “It is hard. I’m sorry this is. . .on the difficult side for you.” He paused. “Just remember.” He paused again as Steve looked up at him. “If their past was bad, it still gives them no right to do what they do. . .or did.” 

Steve nodded slowly. “I understand.” 

Danny smiled softly at him. “I’m glad Chin was able to pull you out.” 

Steve smiled. “Ya know, so am I.” He murmured as Danny chuckled. “And from what I understand, he wouldn’t have been able to without your help.” 

Danny gazed at him and shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know about that. . .” 

Steve shook his head. “Credit is given to where it is needed. And it’s needed here. Chin never would’ve been able to pull me out if you didn’t indicate to him where I was.” He said as he sat up and leaned close to Danny, giving him a kiss on the forehead and wrapping his arms around him. “Thank you. . .for saving my life. . .” 

Danny hugged him back. “Again.” He mumbled into Steve’s shoulder, causing both of them to laugh. 

“Again.” Steve agreed. 

Danny chuckled. “You’re welcome. I’ll put it on your tab.” 

Steve chuckled. “Oh, my Danno kitty.” 

“Augh, that’s not gonna be a thing now, is it?” Danny asked, cringing slightly. “I mean, would I call you my Stevie puppy?” 

Steve laughed at the name. “I mean, if you don’t want to, we don’t have to.”

Danny chuckled. “As long as it’s not in front of anyone.” 

Steve chuckled. “Oh, I love you.” 

Danny grinned. “I love you, too.” He paused. “Stevie Puppy.” 

Steve chuckled into his ear as he continued to hold onto Danny. Danny reciprocated, hugging the man back.

Steve squeezed him. “God, I missed you.” 

Danny pulled. “I was literally a cat for a little over day.” 

Steve shrugged. “Still missed you.” He paused. “Not hearing you talk sometimes sucks.” 

Danny smiled at him. 

“Sometimes, Danno.” Steve repeated with a silly raise of his eyebrow. 

Danny rolled his eyes. “Thanks, Commander.”

Steve chuckled and gently patted Danny’s cheek. “How much longer do you have to stay here?” 

Danny looked to his left. “I was technically okay to leave two days ago. . .”

“Two days ago?! Danny! Why didn’t you tell me?” Steve asked with a small squeeze to Danny’s arm. 

Danny looked up at him with a small smile. “Because I know you’d want me to go home and rest.” 

“You’re damn right. You gotta get rest at home.”

“Well, I can rest here. . .with you.” Danny replied. 

“Yeah, but you can also rest at home. You can get better rest. . .no disruptions and such.” 

“But. . .I’d still be without you at home.” Danny murmured. “And the best medicine is laughter and you always make me laugh. . .so. . .why can’t I stay?” 

Steve gazed at him and went to say something but stopped. He sighed. He shook his head. “You have excellent points.”

Danny smiled. “Of course, I do.” 

Steve smiled back at him. 

Danny turned at the knocking at the door. He saw a nurse at the door. “So sorry for the interruption, but it is time for Commander McGarrett’s treatment.” 

Danny nodded as he stood up from Steve’s bed and headed back to his own. “But, of course. No sorry’s needed. Come on in.” He said as he sat on his bed.


	10. Chapter 10

Several weeks later, Danny walked in Steve’s house after his appointment with Dr. Robert Young. It was later evening. Dr. Young had convinced Danny to go in later to test Danny. _Later in the day is better because your system has been through the day’s routine, has been given a chance to work, and wake up._

Danny rolled his eyes as he closed the door.  

“Danny? That you?” Steve’s voice sounded through the house. 

“Yeah! Where are you?” Danny called glancing upstairs. He couldn’t pinpoint where Steve was. 

“In the kitchen. Go ahead and sit down.” 

Danny stiffly walked over to the couch and sat down. He let out a sigh and tilted his head back on the back of the couch. He closed his eyes for a moment. 

“Hey.” 

Danny looked up to see Steve carry a plate and a glass of water. “Hi.” He smiled as Steve walked right up to him. 

“Here, ya hungry?” He asked as he gave the man the glass and offered the plate to him. Steve kissed the man’s cheek after he sat down next to him. “Ooo, you’re sweaty.” Steve murmured as he tasted a wet, saltiness on the man’s cheek.

Danny chuckled as he looked down at the plate. The plate had a beautiful arrangement of pieces of grilled steak, a good helping of homemade mashed potatoes, a lovely Caesar salad sat near the potatoes, and a single piece of bread with a small bowl of olive oil for dipping. It looked so wonderful. 

“Yes! Thank you!” Danny said as he grabbed the plate. “Man, this looks so good.”

“Hope it tastes as good as it looks.” Steve murmured. 

Danny chuckled, knowing Steve had just recently took up cooking again for the both of them. He cut into the steak and brought it to his mouth. He chewed as the moist, smokey flavor simmered in his mouth. He hummed out his approval. “Damn, babe.” He murmured, continuing his chewing and swallowing. “That’s so good.” He said as he took a fork full of potatoes. 

Steve breathed out with relief. “Oh, good.” 

Danny ate his fill, continuing to cut into the steak, fork up the potatoes, and stab into the lettuce. 

“You famished, Danny boy?” Steve grinned as he sat and watched Danny. 

Danny nodded. “Dr. Young put me through a bunch of physical tests.” He shook his head. “When you talked about the running he had you do, I didn’t imagine. . .” He shook his head recalling the events. 

“The distance?” 

“The distance, the inclines, the pace. . .oh, my god. . .my knee was killing me.” Danny murmured as he cut more into the steak pieces. 

“How was your hip?” Steve asked.

Danny shook his head. “By the end, equally as lethal.” 

Steve chuckled. “I’m sorry.”

Danny shrugged. “He’s thorough. If it prevents me from changing back, I’d do it again and again, but man. . .” 

“So, what happened?” Steve asked.

Danny thought back to the 3 hours he had just spent with the good Dr. Young. “He had me swim in the hospital’s therapy pool. . .um. . .he had me run. . .probably 4 miles, last half mile at the fastest pace I could go. . .”

Steve nodded and put an arm on the back of the couch and rested his head in his hand. 

“While doing this, he hooked up all these monitors to me. . .and he took blood after each of those activities.” 

Steve nodded, gazing at Danny as he continued to eat and tell him about his time after work. 

“He said with all these activities, it doesn’t seem to be impacting my human cells, so he want’s to do a follow-up in 3 months and then again in 6 months. Or sooner if things start going south, but he’s optimistic that nothing will turn bad.” 

“Okay. So. . .for the time being, are you cleared?” 

Danny nodded. “He said to go on about my life like I would normally do and if anything happens, just call and we’d go from there.” 

Steve nodded. “He said something similar to me, too. . .all those months ago.” 

Danny nodded. “Yeah, I remember.”

Steve sat in silence for a moment. “Was there anything new that he said?”

Danny had brought some potatoes to his mouth and mulled over the question. “He did mention-” He swallowed. “He did mention something I found interesting.” 

Steve rose his eyebrows. 

“He was curious about a hypothesis he had about. . .these. . .cells turning back to their normal selves and the link to. . .” He paused as he grin and stuck his fork in his salad. 

Steve noticed the blush and grin. “What?” 

“Sex. And sexual activities.” Danny finished as he looked up at Steve and brought his fork, that was loaded with salad, to his mouth. 

Steve gave him a soft look. “Hmmm.” He paused. “Did he tell you of this hypothesis?” 

Danny nodded. “He was curious if sexual activities would strengthen the reversal. . .with the release of certain hormones and pumping of blood in the system. . .ya know.” 

Steve nodded. “Hmmm, interesting.” 

“Yeah.” Danny said as he quieted and took a few more bites of his dinner. 

Steve tilted his head in thought as Danny ate. _Maybe we should try that hypothesis of Dr. Young’s. . ._

“So, what did you do after work?” Danny asked as he lifted his glass to drink from it. 

Steve turned his focus back to Danny and his question. “Um. . .on the way home, I picked up new oil and oil filters for the truck and the Camaro. . .came home. . .worried about you. . .” He smiled as Danny chuckled. “Cleaned a little bit. Finished the laundry that was started this morning. Made the bed. . .worried some more. . .” He chuckled with Danny as the man began his quiet laughter once more. “Then. . .I made some dinner. . .figured you’d be home soon, so made you some. . .and. . .that’s about it. . .oh, I made a list of things I need to do this weekend.” 

“Besides taking me to the vet?” Danny asked. 

Steve chuckled. “Yes.” 

Danny’s smile fell slightly as he thought back to be an animal. It had been quite an experience to witness the world as a four legged animal.  

Steve saw the man’s smile fall.“Ah, you miss being a cat. . .” Steve murmured teasingly. 

“No, I don’t.” Danny responded as he brought some potatoes to his mouth, throwing those thoughts out of his head.

“Come on, you didn’t enjoy being a different animal for a day?” Steve asked. 

Danny shook his head. “I enjoyed some things, don’t get me wrong but I don’t _miss_ it.” He clarified. 

“Oh, come on. There must be something you miss.” Steve chuckled as he scooted closer to Danny. 

“No. I’m glad to be human again.” Danny chuckled as he leaned forward and placed his plate and his glass on the table.

“Come on, Danny.” Steve murmured to him. “Look, I’ll be honest. . .I miss. . .being that close to the ground and being able to walk on 4 legs. That was pretty cool, right?” 

Danny smiled. 

Steve grinned back at him. He thought about the closeness they shared when he was a dog. That first night, when Danny ushered him up into his bed and Steve laid his tired body down next to Danny’s, feeling Danny wrap his arm around him. “I know we do it now anyway, but. . .I loved when you held me that first night. Do you remember?” Steve asked as he looked into Danny’s eyes. 

Danny glanced down at Steve’s chest and his arms before looking back up at him. He nodded. “I remember.” 

Steve smiled. “So, come on. What do you miss?” 

Danny shrugged. “Eh. . .I don’t want to say.” He murmured with an embarrassed grin. 

“Come on. It’s me, Danno.” 

Danny looked at him. He shrugged again. “I miss. . .I miss sitting in your lap.” He said in a rush. 

Steve rose his eyebrows. “You miss sitting in my lap?” He echoed back. 

Danny shrugged once more. “It’s stupid, but. . .yeah. I miss. . .the pats and the strokes. . .the touches.” 

There was a silence between them. It wasn’t uncomfortable for Steve, but very much so for Danny. 

“Your lap was comfortable.” Danny mumbled, looking away. “It was warm, and. . .inviting-” Danny stopped himself. He shook his head. “I don’t know.” He said quietly. 

Steve gently touched his own head and grazed his fingers through his hair as he glanced over at Danny. “Well. . .who says that has to end?” 

Danny looked at him. “What?” He asked with a smirk. 

Steve shrugged and tried to say something but when nothing came, he just smiled and chuckled. 

“Well, we cuddle. . .like when I was a dog. . .” He paused. “You can, um. . .sit on my lap again.” 

Danny rose his eyebrows. “That’s. . .the worst pick up line-”

“It’s not a pick up line-”

“Oh, you really expect me to believe _that_?”

“Yeah, I do.” He paused. “We _are_ dating, remember? Being a cat didn’t, I don’t know, make you forget _that_.”  

Danny grinned and shook his head. “How could I forget?” He mumbled. “Well. . .it’s the worst. . .flirting line. . .I’ve heard.” 

Steve grinned. “Come here.” Steve said as he touched Danny’s arm. 

Danny looked at him again. 

“Come _here_.” Steve said again as he pulled Danny’s arm. 

“Steve, I’m not going to sit on your lap.” 

“Why not?” 

Danny scoffed. “Well, because. . .that’s just. . .” 

“Weird? Inappropriate? Bad?” 

“Well, no but. . .” 

“Then come here.” 

Danny gave in and chuckled as he stood up and followed Steve’s pulling. He only winced slightly but moved stiffly, sore from the activities he had done earlier.

Steve grinned as he pulled Danny onto his lap. Danny sat sideways, his back against the arm of the couch and his legs propped up on the couch cushion next to Steve. Steve adjusted his back against the couch and placed his arm around Danny’s back and across his thighs, gently brushing Danny’s thigh with his hand. 

Danny placed an arm around Steve’s neck and looked at him as Steve looked up at him. 

“Not bad, right?” Steve said with a grin. 

Danny shook his head. “Right. I like sitting in your lap.” Ha paused. “This is nice.”  

Steve smiled. 

Danny leaned closer to him. “I might know something that would make it better.” 

Steve rose an eyebrow with curiosity. “Oh?” 

Danny nodded. 

“Do tell.”

Danny shook his head. “I have to show you.” 

“Oh, well, then, do show.” Steve smiled at him. 

Danny smiled. He took in a breath and leaned in, closing his eyes. He only paused to gently nuzzle Steve’s nose before putting his lips against Steve’s. He gently grasped the back of Steve’s neck. 

Steve had closed his eyes and took in a breath as he felt Danny’s nose on his. His chest tightened as he felt Danny’s lips on his own. He gently held Danny in his arms and on his lap. He rubbed his hand along the man’s thigh as they continued the kiss. 

Danny broke from his lips and gazed into his eyes. “Good?”

Steve nodded. “I may want to try that again though.” 

Danny grinned widely and leaned in closer. 

Steve grinned as their lips met once more. 

It was gentle. . .easy. . .wonderful. Just to be with each other, like this, once more. Danny’s hand moved from Steve’s neck to cup his cheek. 

Steve felt Danny’s fingers lightly caressed his near his jawline. Steve furrowed his brows as Danny broke from his lips and moved from his lap. “Where are you going?” He asked. 

Danny smiled as he placed a knee on either side of Steve’s thighs. “No where.” He answered as he sat in Steve’s lap, facing him. “Just getting comfortable.” He paused. “Figured we’d be making out for a little bit.” 

Steve smiled as Danny leaned in and placed his lips against Steve’s. 

They deepened the kiss, holding closer and moving their lips against the other’s. 

Danny moved his groin against Steve’s. “Oh, my god. I missed this.” He whispered against Steve’s lips. 

Steve grinned. “Me too.” He whispered back. 

Danny smiled at him, gazing into his eyes. He shook his head slightly. “You’re so hot. . .you’ve got me so turned on right now.” He moved against Steve’s groin once more. He leapt at the man’s neck as the man grinned with his head tilting backwards against the couch.

Steve grinned at the man’s words. “Yeah. . .it’s almost like you have a gun in your pocket or something. . .” 

Danny chuckled against his neck. 

Steve breathed in through slightly parted lips. “That feels so good, Danno.” He whispered as he ran his hands along Danny’s back.

Danny smiled as he continued to kiss Steve’s soft neck. 

Steve placed his hands on Danny’s chest. “Here, sit, I know you’re tired.” 

Danny chuckled as he moved off Steve’s lap and sat on the couch next to him. 

Steve slid down from sitting next to Danny. He knelt before Danny, keeping eye contact. 

Danny shifted as Steve put his hands on the bands of his shorts and boxer briefs. “Steve. . .” He murmured, half-warningly, half with a smile.

Steve grinned softly and slid the man’s lower wear down. 

Danny breathed out through parted lips as his hardening dick was release into the world from the constraints of his clothing. 

Steve grinned as he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Danny’s inguinal line. Then he took the man’s organ in his hand. 

Danny bit his lower lip as he felt Steve’s lips on his skin. It tickled. . .the soft, velvety lips grazed along his sensitive skin, near his sensitive organ. It was enough to drive anyone crazy. 

Steve stroked the penis, feeling it flush with heat and stiffen with arousal. He tilted his head and smiled. “God, I’ve missed this. . .” 

Danny smiled. “Even if my dick is the only thing you missed, I’m still flattered.” He responded. 

“I told you I missed you.” Steve smiled up at him. And then he looked down. “I’ve just also missed. . .this guy.” He said as he stroked and rubbed his thumb along the shaft in circular motions. 

Danny grinned as he gazed at Steve. “I think he’s missed you, too.” He grinned as he shifted and he tilted his head back, closing his eyes. “Oh, that feels good.”

Steve chuckled softly and looked back up at Danny. “Did he miss. . .” He moved his lips closer to the organ. Danny moved his hips towards Steve, having no success in what he wanted to achieve. Steve exhaled slowly along the aroused dick. “. . .a particular activity?” He whispered, keeping eye contact with Danny. 

Danny breathed unevenly at the action through parted lips. “Yes!” He whispered. 

Steve smiled as he looked back at the organ, stroking it before he looked back up at Danny. He placed his lips against the hot skin and parted them to run his tongue along the underside of the shaft. 

Danny shuddered in a breath. He held it for a second as Steve did it again, gazing into his eyes. Danny then gasped out the breath. “You better not tease me for too long.” He whispered. 

Steve chuckled as he listened to Danny’s words and gasps. He gave a few more movements of his tongue before dragging it to Danny’s tip and encasing just the tip with his mouth. 

Danny grinned with closed eyes. He bit his lip as he moved his hand to Steve’s, which rested on his thigh. He grasped it as Steve slowly inched down on his hardening number. 

Steve smiled as he felt Danny grasp on his fingers. He slowly inched down on the organ, pulling it into a more aroused state. He hallowed his cheeks, surrounding the penis and providing it with as much stimulation on every surface of the skin as possible. He easily slid up and down the organ with his mouth. 

Danny fidgeted in his seat, struggling with the arousing pulses that crept through his body. He brought his left arm above his head, grasping onto the couch’s back cushion.

Steve moved all the way down, pausing momentarily at Danny’s base before working his way up and down. 

Danny let out a small moan. “That feels so good!” He whispered. He fidgeted as Steve sped up his movements. Pleasure flowed through his body and arousal surged through him. “Oh, god! Steve!” He said a little louder. 

Steve moved down further, settling at the base, moving the head of the lovely cock against the back of his throat. 

Danny moved his hips up, more in Steve’s mouth. “Oh, my god!” He gasped. He whimpered a little with a small smile on his face as Steve withdrew, gasping out his breath and sucking in more air as he stroked the man’s dick vigorously. 

“You’re not gonna leave any for the bedroom, are you?” 

Steve shook his head as he went back to the hardened organ. “No. I want it all now.” He murmured as he wrapped his lips around Danny’s cock once more. 

Danny clenched his toes. He bit his lower lip as Steve moved quickly along his dick. 

Steve could feel his mouth water as he easily slid along the aroused organ. _God, he’s so hot._ He thought as he used his hand to stroke the shaft and, in a way, elongate the feeling his mouth was giving. 

Danny gasped out. He was close. . .reaching that moment. . .that moment of pure bliss and pleasure where he could drift. . .drift to a place from pure ecstasy to serenity. “Baby, I’m close.” He whispered out. 

Steve hummed around the aroused organ, sending thrills and shivers through Danny’s body. Steve felt goosebumps on his neck as he listened to Danny’s moans and heaving breathing as he coaxed the man’s cock closer. 

Danny rose his eyebrows as he felt the vibrations of Steve’s humming moans around his dick. “Fffffuck. . .” He managed to get out. “Keep going. I’m so close.” 

Steve kept going. He quickly moved up and down the organ as he Danny fidgeted and let out a few moans before he quieted for a moment. 

“Ohhhh, Steve!” He let out as he felt the surging pleasure take over and overwhelm him as small contractions made their way from his pelvic region and out of his cock. “I’m cumming, I’m cumming!” He murmured as he groaned and moved his hips up. 

Steve stopped with his mouth and stroked Danny’s cock, flinching as the man’s white seed came out quickly and landed on his face as he continued to stroke and moaned with Danny, encouraging the best orgasm to come forth. 

Danny breathed heavily as Steve continued his stroking. He moaned, fidgeted, grinned as Steve leaned down and encased the tip of the cock in his mouth, polishing it with his tongue. Danny let go of Steve’s hand and brought that hand to grip on the couch behind him as he worked through the waves of contractions that rippled through his body. 

Steve grinned as he moved the cock’s head around in his mouth, causing Danny to fidget and eventually laugh out in desperation. 

“Baby, it’s sensitive. . .no! Please!” Danny gasped as Steve hummed his own pleasure and shook his head. 

Steve came off with a pop and hummed as he looked up at Danny. 

Danny breathed heavily and leaned forward to place his hands on Steve’s cheeks and kiss his lips. 

Steve chuckled as Danny did so. 

“Sorry, for exploding on your face.” Danny murmured as he placed his lips on Steve’s again and again. 

“That’s alright.” Steve chuckled and pulled. He wiped some of the white substance off his cheek and placed the finger in his mouth.

Danny huffed out a breath, completely aroused by the action. He moved to Steve’s face and placed his lips on the area where his cum rested. 

Steve chuckled at the movements of the man’s tongue along his cheek. “God, Danno, that’s hot.” He whispered. “And I’m not just saying that, you’ve got me so turned on right now.” 

Danny chuckled as he continued to lick the man’s cheek. Through his tiredness and soreness, he felt this undying need to satisfy Steve at the moment. “Wanna go upstairs?” He whispered before pulling and looking into Steve’s eyes. 

Steve grinned with mischief in his eyes. 

Danny leaned and gave him a kiss. “Go. . .I’ll lock up.” 

Steve huffed out and smiled at him as he stood up. He hurried upstairs, striping his shirt off as he did.

Danny stood and pulled up his bottoms for sanity’s sake and moved to quickly move the plate and glass to the sink in the kitchen. He then set the alarm for the house and locked the front door before sprinting up the stairs. Danny reached the bedroom, slightly breathless, and took in a lovely sight. 

Steve was sprawled out on their bed, laying on his back and his legs spread out.

Completely naked. 

Steve looked up at him with his hazel eyes. There was a softness that resided within them. There was no doubt, no debate about it. . .

Steve was breathtaking, magnificent, and just. . .

_So beautiful. . ._

“Whatcha waiting for, Detective?” Steve asked. 

Danny grinned. “A clue.” 

Steve tilted his head to one side. “A clue to where you need to be?”

Danny shook his head at Steve. “I know where I need to be. . .” He murmured as he climbed on the bed, towering over Steve as he crept closer. “I need to clue. . .as to. . .where to start.” He whispered as he nosed Steve’s nose, making Steve smile and suck in a breath. 

Steve gazed back into the ocean blue eyes that gazed at his soul. “Start. . .where you’d like. . .” 

Danny shook his head. “Not how this works. . .” He whispered back. “Tell me. . .” 

Steve smiled softly and tilted his head to the side, still keeping his eye on Danny. “My neck. . .” 

Danny grinned as he placed his lips on the man’s soft skin. 

Steve breathed heavily as he moved his hips up into Danny’s pelvis. He bit his lower lip and closed his eyes. He let out a small moan as Danny licked and sucked on his neck, exploring along the tendons that only slightly stuck out. “Feels so nice.” He whispered. 

Danny grinned as he licked and moved his tongue in odd movements. He took his hands and found Steve’s, interweaving their fingers, placing them next to Steve’s head as Danny continued his soft gentle actions on Steve’s neck. 

Steve let out a sigh through smiling lips. He bent his legs so his feet sat on the bed. He moved his pelvis up towards Danny’s, finding more tension and pressure put on his increasingly arousing cock. “Danny. . .” He murmured. 

Danny hummed out a moan again the man’s neck. “You taste so good.” He whispered as he moved his hands down Steve’s arms to drift along Steve’s sides. 

Steve grinned. “You have too many clothes on for my liking.” He murmured as he moved his hands to Danny’s shirt. He grasped onto it and pulled at it. 

Danny sat up and took off his shirt, pulling from his waist and over his head. “Better?” He asked as he leaned over and kissed Steve. 

Steve smiled and chuckled as Danny kissed him. “No. . .” He murmured as he moved his hands to Danny’s waistline. He tugged at the man’s bottoms. “Take them off. . .” Steve whispered against Danny’s lips. 

Danny grinned as he sat back up and stood on the bed above Steve. 

Steve watched as Danny shimmied his bottoms off, kicking them off to the floor, and there he stood. . .

Naked and beautiful in the dim light. 

Danny flexed and moved his arms, feeling his neck and chest with his hands. “Better now?” 

Steve chuckled. “Yes.” He murmured.

Danny gazed at Steve as his hand drifted down. He stroked himself as few times as he watched Steve. 

Steve grinned as he grabbed his own aroused organ and gave it a few strokes. “I love it when you do that. . .” He murmured as he gaze over Danny’s body. 

Danny grinned as he knelt on the bed. He stroked himself momentarily before breaking from himself to tower over Steve again. 

Steve grinned as Danny leaned in closer and kissed him, moving his hand to stroke Danny’s dick. 

Danny arched his back and his groin pressed against Steve’s hand. “Fuck, I want you now.” Danny whispered as he moving his hips with Steve’s stroking. 

Steve smiled. “Get a move on, Detective.” 

Danny backed up his body to lay on his stomach. With no real warning or teasing, Danny stuck Steve’s dick down his throat.

Steve tilted his head back. “Danny!” 

Danny bobbed several times. 

Steve almost couldn’t handle it. He sat up and pulled Danny away from his super aroused and sensitive organ. He kissed Danny momentarily before encouraging him on his lap.

Danny sat on Steve’s abdomen for a moment as they kissed. He then reached around him with their lips still close, brushing against each other, and he grabbed Steve’s cock. 

Steve shuddered in a breath as he felt his head at Danny’s opening. 

Danny looked down at Steve’s abs and slowly moved his gaze to Steve’s eyes as he guided Steve’s dick into him. He exhaled sharply, biting his lower lip. “Oh, Steve.” He sat down, his ass cheeks meeting Steve’s pelvis. 

Steve smiled lightly. He sat up. “No, lube, prep, or nothing, huh?” He asked as he sat with Danny sitting in his lap.

Danny grinned as he shook his head. “This feels so good.” 

Steve smiled and kissed Danny gently, his arms moving around his waist, holding the man closer to his body. Their lips broke contact, but they stayed close. Steve breathed heavily against the man’s slightly parted lips. Steve moved the man’s body slightly and shifted his pelvis up a little. 

“Steve. . .” Danny whispered against the man’s lips. He had wrapped his arms around the man’s neck and held him close as he moved his hips. “Oh, god, you feel good.” Danny rushed out in a whisper. 

Steve moaned against the man’s lips. “Oh, you do, too.” He murmured. 

Danny grinned as he moved his hips in a deeper rhythm. Goosebumps ran up his back and along his arms. The man’s small movements into him felt so amazingly good. Danny smiled and kissed Steve’s cheek. 

Steve grinned as he felt the man’s lips on his cheek. The lips slowly drifted down to his neck. “Danny, th-that tickles!” He chuckled softly as he felt the man’s tongue drag along his tendons. 

Danny heard the chuckling. He loved hearing Steve chuckle. It was one of the best things to hear. He kept up his movements and continued to kiss the man’s neck. 

Steve bit his lower lip into a smile. He exhaled sharply, parting his lips and breathing heavily on Danny’s shoulder. 

Steve’s exhale sent shivers down Danny’s spine. He shivered and sat deeply against Steve’s pelvis. He moaned a little bit against Steve’s neck. 

“Is this what you need, hun?” Steve whispered to him. 

Danny’s chest fluttered in delight at Steve’s tone and words. He loved hearing Steve talk sensually to him. It was always special and flattering to Danny. “Oh, you know it is.” Danny murmured against his neck with a smile. 

Steve grinned and swung Danny around. His cock had been removed from Danny from twisting, moving, and placing their bodies in comfortable positions. He gently laid the man down on his back. The man let out a small squeal and chuckle that Steve took delight in hearing. Steve leaned in close and kissed the man’s lips. 

Danny grinned as their lips met. He kissed Steve, moving his hands to rest on Steve’s cheeks, along his jawline. Danny moved his hips against Steve’s. He was begging for Steve to put his dick back inside him. He moaned a little against Steve’s lips. “Steve.” He whispered. 

Steve nudged Danny’s face to his left and leapt at the man’s neck. 

“Oh, Steve. . .fuck!” Danny moaned out as he felt Steve’s teeth, tongue, and lips on his neck. 

“Oh, god, you’re so hot, Danno.” Steve whispered against the man’s neck. 

Danny breathed heavily. “Steve. . .please. . .” He paused to let out a small moan like noise. “I want you.” 

Steve hummed against the man’s neck. “You want me?”

“Yes, of course.” Danny gasped out in a whisper. “Do you want me?” 

Steve smiled into the man’s neck. “Of course. I don’t just want you. . .I need you.” 

Danny smiled. “I need you, too.”

Steve pulled from his neck and smiled at him. He looked down in between them and lifted his body off Danny’s slightly. 

Danny propped his legs up. He smiled as Steve studied his groin area. 

Steve smiled lightly. He took his dick in hand and aimed it at Danny’s opening.

There was a few seconds of silence and anticipation before Steve slowly moved into Danny. 

Danny’s eyes rolled back and closed. A wide smile spread across his face as Steve settled and gazed at his face. Danny let out the breath he was holding. 

Steve smiled. He stayed close to Danny as he had squeezed into him. He settled on top of Danny’s body and kissed Danny’s jawline gently. He brushed his lips along the man’s jawline before he began to slowly move in and out of the man that laid before him. 

Danny let out a small moan as Steve gently rocked in and out of him. “Steve. . .” He murmured. “That’s so good!” He whispered. 

Steve moved his lips down to the man’s neck once more. He breathed through his nose as he moved his hips in small circles. 

Danny bit his lower lip and clenched his toes against the bed. He ball his hands into fists against Steve’s muscled shoulder blades. 

Steve moaned against the man’s neck as he felt Danny’s hole tighten around his aroused organ. “Danny, you’re so tight.” He gasped out as he continued his small circular movements. 

Danny grinned. “It’s only because you’re so big.” He puffed out. Steve kept moving his hips in circular motions, causing waves of pleasure to roll through his body. His eyes rolled back as Steve hit many pleasure spots at once. He let out a desperate moan before drawing in a deep breath. “Damn, that’s so good.” He murmured as he looked up at Steve with a look of heightened arousal. 

Steve leaned closer to Danny. He placed his elbows on the bed and began to thrust himself into Danny. 

Danny threw back his head against the pillow and sighed gently as Steve placed his lips against Danny’s neck. 

Danny whimpered out a moan. He held onto Steve tight as pleasure hummed through his body. 

Steve withdrew from Danny’s neck. He suddenly picked up the speed of his thrusts, moving his hips quickly, in and out of Danny. Without warning, Steve shoved himself deeply into him, drawing a surprised noise from Danny. 

Pleasure pulsed through his body. He would’ve lost it right there if Steve had kept going. He was slightly glad Steve paused as he shouted out. “Oh, Steve!” Danny gasped out as shivers flooded his body. “Too deep!” He groaned out. 

Steve gave a few shallow thrusts. “Sorry.” He paused as he moved easily and deeply into Danny. “You just feel so good.” 

Danny gasped out another breath. “Oh, fuck, Steve!” He shouted. Pleasure ran through his body as Steve pushed on his pleasure spot, settling deep within him. 

Steve thrusted gently into Danny. He drew moans out of Danny as he did this. Danny was close again. He had been close since Steve first came out of the kitchen. Being near the man was enough to make him just seconds away from bursting his load. He hummed and moaned with pleasure. 

Steve leaned over as he moved his hips slowly. He slowly connected his lips to Danny’s chest. He flicked his tongue over the man’s erecting nipple.

Danny’s jaw dropped and he looked down at Steve as the man gently nibbled on the sensitive skin. “Babe. . .y-you’re gonna make me cum!”  He whispered forcefully as he desperately grabbed his throbbing hard organ and stroked it vigorously. 

“Yeah?” Steve murmured around the man’s nipple as he kept his slower pace. 

Danny nodded. “Please. . .harder!” He gasped.

Steve slowly looked up at him and moved his hips faster, needing to satisfy any want and desire Danny had. 

Danny gasped several times before a euphoria overcame him. “Oh, Steve!” He let out a loud moan as continued to stroke and take in Steve’s thrusts as the man he loved hit the spot that caused pure pleasure to pulsate through his body. He let out several delighted breaths as he felt the warm liquid of his seed spray on his abdomen and slightly up his chest. He dropped his cock and wrapped an arm around Steve. He pulled himself up through the aftershocks of his orgasm. He so desperately wanted to see Steve at his end. He shuddered out a breath as Steve’s thrusts slowed and Danny sat more on the man’s lap.

Steve chuckled as he felt the tightening of the man’s hole around his hard cock. “Danny, Danny.” He murmured.

Danny wrapped an arm around the man’s neck and his other hand settled on Steve’s chest. “Close?” He asked with a grin. 

Steve nodded as he bit his lower lip. “Yeah.” He breathed out. 

Danny hummed as Steve attempted his thrusting movements. He felt sympathy towards the man as he so desperately tried to thrust into Danny at the same depth and speed he had been going. “Finding difficulty?” Danny asked with a grin. 

Steve let out a desperate noise as he furrowed his brows. “Yeah.” He gasped out in frustration. He couldn’t get the exact coverage he needed to keep him close. 

Danny leaned towards Steve. “Lay down.” He whispered as he gently kissed Steve’s lips. 

Steve grinned as he fell on his back on the bed and moved his legs out from underneath him. He rubbed Danny’s thighs as the man situated himself on top of his pelvis. This is where Steve completely lost his mind. 

Danny grinned as he stared at Steve. He began moving up and down at a fair pace. He did this for a few moments before gyrating his hips in circles. 

Steve dropped his jaw and tilted his head back as his eyes rolled back into his head. “D-Danny.” He stuttered out as Danny made several of those movements. Then, Danny rode him hard. He rolled his hips against Steve’s pelvis, engulfing and revealing his cock within milliseconds. “Danny!” He whispered as he felt the spasms and contractions start. His body shook slightly as he felt it become easier for Danny to slide into him. He moaned and hummed his pleasure. 

Danny felt the warmness jet into him. It surprised him and turned him on all at the same time. _Fuck, that’s hot._ He thought as he continued to move his hips. 

Steve grabbed Danny’s thighs. “No more, please. Gentle.” He gasped out as he leaned to one side. 

Danny easily slipped Steve's spent cock out of him and laid next to him, completely exhausted. 

Steve breathed out a few heavy gasps. “Danny, oh, my god.” He murmured as he drunkly ran his finger through his hair and closed his eyes. 

Danny kissed his pec in several small kisses, barely breaking contact with the glowing, sweaty skin. This made Steve grin and chuckle. 

“Come here.” Steve murmured. 

Danny grinned as he looked up at him and was gently cradled as he placed his lips against Steve’s. 

They broke and they laid their heads down, Steve’s head on the bed and Danny’s head on Steve’s chest. 

While they laid backwards on the bed, with their heads at the end of the bed, they could not bring themselves to move positions. Both were just taking in the night. . .taking in each other. Their arousals and post orgasm thrills softened. They listened to the distant car noises through the open window. The waves crashed gently on the beach. The quiet breathing of them both echoed in their ears. Gently and quietly, the sounds of the night, serenaded them and they slowly drifted off to sleep in each other’s arms.


	11. Chapter 11

Steve was in between reality and dream land. He felt a soft, smooth, wet movement along his neck. His eyes stayed closed as he felt a similar movement again, though this time, his lips curved into a smile. He moistened his palette and made a small smacking noise. He then felt a softness reside on his lips. A passionate movement of lips awakened him more as a wet, smooth, thick, that Steve could only think was Danny’s tongue, slipped into his mouth. He grinned as the tongue felt around on his own tongue. He began to smiled slowly and chuckle. 

He heard the soft chuckles above him as the lips broke from his own and then he felt the same smooth, wet movement on his neck. 

Steve hummed and sighed out. “Mmmm, morning, Danno.” He said gruffly as he grinned. 

Danny chuckled against the man’s neck. “Morning, Steven.” He said before going back to the man’s neck and letting his tongue out to explore Steve’s neck as much as possible. 

Steve grinned as he felt Danny’s leg on his own. He brought his hand to Danny’s leg and gently rubbed it, working his way up to the man’s left butt cheek. He gently squeezed it, finding a soreness in his arm muscles from the night before. Steve chuckled. “This is quite the way to wake up.” 

Danny grinned against his neck. “Last night was quite the way to fall asleep.” He murmured before going back to Steve’s neck.

Steve smiled widely. “Oh, yeah. And thank you for that.” 

They both fell into a fit of giggles as thoughts of the previous night filled their minds. Danny backed off of the giggling and went back to Steve’s neck. He shifted his leg to settle in between Steve’s legs. With his shift, he aimed to rest more on top of Steve’s body. He huddled in close, snuggling his arms in close against Steve’s chest. 

Steve huffed out a small breath as he concluded his laughter. “What should we do today?” He asked as his hand drifted up Danny’s back. 

“Stay in bed all day.” Danny whispered against the soft neck. 

Steve grinned. “What, sleeping?” He asked jokingly. 

“Well, if you want to sleep, I can just stop. . .” Danny murmured as he rolled on his side next to Steve. 

“No!” Steve murmured urgently. He pulled Danny close. Steve grinned adoringly at Danny. “Don’t stop.” 

“Or what?” Danny asked, his lips curled into a smile.

“I’ll. . .” Steve moved him on his back. He placed his hands on the man’s wrists, pinning him down. 

Danny smiled. He moved his hips up against Steve’s pelvis. 

“. . .hold you down until you proceed. . .” 

“Gonna be kinda hard. . .can’t do much being held down. . .” Danny murmured. 

“Well, maybe this is the better side to be on.” Steve grinned. 

Danny grinned as he struggled just a little bit. “Let me go, you beast.” He said jokingly. 

Steve bit his lower lip. “Only if you promise to. . .” He leaned close to Danny. “Fuck me senseless.” 

Danny grinned. “Fuck _you_ senseless?” 

Steve nodded. “Oh, yeah.”

Danny forced himself up and rolled back to tower over Steve. He gave a single thrust against Steve’s pelvis. 

Steve closed his eyes gently. “Oh, Danny. . .” He sighed out. He moved his hips up towards Danny’s. “You feel so good.” 

Danny grinned as he kept the man pinned. “Glad you think so.” He whispered as he leaned down and gently placed his lips to Steve’s. 

Steve grinned into the kiss. 

Suddenly, Steve’s phone rang loudly on his bedside table. They both broke as they looked over at the table. 

Steve threw his head against the pillow and let out an irritated sigh. “AUGH!” He sighed. 

Danny toppled on the bed, his face in the pillow, letting out a frustrated sigh. “No!” He murmured. 

Steve leaned over and grabbed his phone. He checked the screen for who it could be before pressing answer and bringing the phone to his ear. “McGarrett.” He answered. 

Danny turned on his side and looked up at Steve. He waited as Steve closed his eyes and nodded. “Yes sir.” He opened his eyes and stared at Danny’s toes that wiggled slightly. “Yes, governor. On my way.” 

Danny gazed at him with a sympathetic look as he hung up and looked at him. 

“The governor wants me early to debrief me on a possible security case.” Steve said as he locked his phone and placed it between himself and Danny on the bed. 

Danny looked down at the phone. “I guess it’s for the best.” 

Steve looked up at him with raised brows. 

Danny looked up at him. “We would’ve been in bed all day.” 

Steve grinned. “True.” He paused, still feeling bummed he wouldn’t be able to do anything with Danny that morning. 

Danny saw the SEAL’s face. It looked completely disappointed and crushed. “Hey. . .” He murmured. 

Steve looked up at him. “Sorry. . .I’m just. . .” He sighed. “I really wanted to spend the day with you.” 

Danny smiled. “I know.” He paused. “I’ll make it up to you.”

Steve huffed out a small laugh. “I’m leaving. . .pausing this. . .arousing, sexy morning to speak with the governor, and _you’re_ going to make it up to me?” 

Danny nodded. “Yeah.”

Steve shook his head. “ _I_ should be making this up to _you_.” 

Danny smiled. “Not your fault that work is calling for you.” He scooted closer, brushing his nose along Steve’s. 

Steve smiled. “Oh, I love you.”

Danny closed his eyes with a smile. “I love you, too.” He murmured as he placed his lips on Steve’s.

They kissed for a few moments before Danny broke. “Let’s go. I’ll. . .make you something for lunch. When can I expect you home?” 

Steve shrugged as he moved the covers off his body. “Oh, I don’t know. I’ll text you when I get there and figure it out. These usually take 3 or 4 hours.” 

Danny nodded. He stood up and began to make his side of the bed. 

Steve hurriedly straightened up his side. “I’m gonna jump in the shower.” He said as he quickly moved to the bathroom. 

“Hey.” Danny said as he moved towards Steve. 

Steve stopped and turned to him. 

“Love you.” Danny whispered before placing his lips against Steve’s for a single kiss. 

Steve smiled as Danny pulled. “Love you, too.” 

Even though they separated and went about the start of their days, they both thought of their love for the other, knowing that they’d be together for a long time. 

A very long time.


	12. Epilogue: Another Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This epilogue, as well as parts of this story, was inspired by dannydandelion (chessjess). Thank you so much for taking an interest in my last story, my friend. :)  
> Happy reading!

“And those were the times, Danno here, and I were turned into a cat and a dog.” Steve finished the stories as the team sat around a table at a local bar after work one day. It seemed like he was explaining another life to everyone. _In a way, I guess it was another life._ Steve thought as he lifted his beer bottle to his lips and took a sip of the cooling, strong beverage. 

“So. . .Chin was telling the truth.” 

“Yeah, Jer, I was.” Chin said before he took a swig from the bottle of beer he held. “You know, I’m a little hurt you didn’t believe me.” He said playfully. 

“But come on! Turning into dog and a cat?! Who ever heard of such a thing?!” Jerry reasoned. 

“Jerry, I expected that you would be the one to believe something like this. . .with all the conspiracy theories that you take so seriously.” Kono said to Jerry.

“They’re not conspiracy theories! They’re real!” Jerry said loudly to her. “I can believe the drugs changing DNA, you know, with minor stuff, but them being able to change the DNA from one mammal to another? A major change like that? I don’t know about that. I’ll believe things, but I’m not stupid.” 

“No one’s saying you’re stupid, Jerry.” Kono said with a smile. “This is something that really happened.” 

“I don’t believe it, either. Any of it. Until I meet this ‘Dr. Robert Young’ and talk with him, I don’t think I will.” Lou Grover piped in as he took his beer bottle and sipped some.

“Well, he is coming out fairly soon. . .” Danny murmured as he looked at Steve and met eye contact with him. 

Steve nodded with the widest grin on his face. 

Danny raised an eyebrow that only Steve knew was a question for him. Steve nodded as he continued to stare at the shorter detective. 

“Can you guys please stop eye humping each other for a second, and answer our questions?” Grover said. 

“Well, we have a couple questions of our own.” Danny replied, turning his gaze back to the group. 

Steve smiled as Danny sat forward. 

“How come, with the span of great detectives and brilliant minds before us, on this team. . .none have you noticed something that happened. . .” Danny looked over at Steve. “What, about a week ago?” 

Steve shrugged. “Yeah, something like that.” He played with Danny’s teasing of the group. “More precisely, 6 days, 22 hours, and 45 minutes, but. . .a week is fair. . .for sanity’s sake.” Steve murmured. 

“What are you guys talking about?” Kono asked. 

“Are you seriously telling me, the four of you have not noticed the rings Steve and I are wearing?” Danny asked with much sass. “Have to say, I’m hurt.” He said with a grin as he folded his arms and sat back in his seat. 

“Are you kidding me?!” Kono shrieked as she instantly pulled Steve’s hand so she could what Danny was talking about. 

“Ow, easy there, Kono.” Steve murmured with a laugh. 

“How did we not notice?! You guys must’ve just received the rings recently. . .like. . .the past few hours recently, because we would’ve noticed.” Chin said as he leaned over towards Kono to see the silver ring on the Commander’s finger. 

“About freakin’ time. I swear, if I had walked in on you guys getting all kissy face in the office one more time, that woulda been the last I ever go anywhere by myself.” Grover said. 

The team laughed. 

“Hey, yesterday’s walk in was mild, wasn’t it?” Steve said. 

Lou rose his eyebrows and rolled his eyes. “Don’t freakin’ remind me! And every time I walk in on you guys, it is _not_ mild.” He clarified. 

Danny’s cheeks flushed at both of their comments. He could feel heat rise into his cheeks. 

“See, even Danny knows those moments aren’t mild!” Lou said as he noticed Danny’s cheeks fill with a pinkish hue. 

“What happened?” Kono asked with a chuckle. 

Lou shook his head. “Nothing.” He paused glaring at Steve and Danny. “Nothing. . .” 

“Well, clearly, it was something.” Kono responded looking over at Danny for answers. 

“Ah, he walked in when Danny and I. . .” Steve looked over at Danny and smiled knowingly. 

Danny’s cheeks flushed with heat and a darker pink as he remembered it. 

“See?! You’ve got everyone uncomfortable! Let’s drop it, please?” Lou asked as he sipped on his beer sulkily. 

“No, come on! You three are in on it, only fair the rest of us know!” Kono said. 

Lou rolled his eyes again. “No, it’s fair to keep everyone comfortable.” 

Steve chuckled. “Danny and I were kinda. . .kissing in my office.” 

“If that’s what you guys call kissing, I don’t want to see you guys making out.” Grover responded quickly. “I mean, was there a better time for me to shout ‘hands where I can see them’? Honestly.” 

Danny brought his hand to his face in embarrassment and began to laugh as Steve touched his shoulder and began to laugh with him. Kono and Chin were caught in shocked laughs. Jerry snickered next to Lou as Lou shook his head and drank from his beer bottle. 

The team settled from their laughter. Only quiet murmurs of ‘hands where I can see them!’ were heard from Kono as she continued to laugh about the whole situation. There was a few moments of silence as they all drank their beverages. 

“I noticed.” 

The team looked over at Jerry. 

“The rings, I mean. . .” 

Kono, Chin, Lou, Steve and Danny all rose their eyebrows at Jerry. 

“I did!” He exclaimed in defense. “Just because someone doesn’t say something doesn’t mean they don’t notice. Plus, I was waiting till you guys announced it. Cuz. . .I just figured. . .you’d want to announce it yourselves. . .” He drifted off. 

Everyone laughed at Jerry’s response. 

“I guess. . .thanks for not saying anything, Jerry.” Steve murmured. 

Jerry smiled widely as he picked up his beverage and drank from the glass. 

“Well, congrats, you guys. That’s awesome.” Kono said as she stood and hugged Steve, who hadn’t expected it, and stayed in his seat for a second before standing and reciprocating the hug. 

“Yeah, congrats to you both.” Chin said as he stood and offered his hand to Danny before pulling him in for a hug. 

Lou and Jerry gave their same congratulations. After about another 20 minutes of talking and discussing the times Danny and Steve were animals and then plans for the wedding. Both Steve and Danny didn’t have a lot of answers to the team’s questions about the attire, the venue, the food, the reception. . .

They laughed through their ‘I don’t know’ and ‘not sure at the moment’ responses as well as at the responses of the team, like Grover’s response to them being not sure about the food. “What do ya mean ‘I don’t know’?! If it isn’t something good, don’t bother inviting me.”

“We weren’t planning on it anyway.” Danny responded like lightning, grinning as a bunch of ‘oooooo’s’ came out of Kono and Chin. 

Steve quickly replied. “He’s kidding, Lou. He’s kidding. We wouldn’t dream of not inviting you.” He said with a smile. 

Lou grinned. “Good, cuz the wife wouldn’t be too happy about not being able to see you guys on your wedding day.” 

“She would be invited, we’d just tell her to leave you at home.” 

Lou shot Danny a look that made everyone burst out in laughter. 

Danny grinned at Lou. As he did so, he reached over under the table and grabbed Steve’s hand. 

Steve smiled as he kept his focus on the topic of conversation for a moment more. He grasped onto the warm and worn hand. As worn as it was, it was also soft and light. Much like their lives together the past several years. Worn. . .but soft. . .full of affection and love for each other. 

Steve squeezed the fingers and they squeezed back. Steve glanced over at Danny and smiled. The man, his fiancé, smiled back and for a moment, it seemed like they were the only people there. . .wherever there was. . .a void or a space in time. With a single gaze into each other’s eyes, with a softness and gentleness they had for one another, they knew what the other was thinking. . .they always knew _that_ look. . .

The look of pure bliss and admiration. The look of slight arousal and mischief. The look that only they shared. The look that said nothing. 

And yet. . .the look that said everything. 

The lover’s look. Their loving look. 

With that single look, whatever happened to them, they’d always know the other loved them. Danny loved Steve. . .and Steve loved Danny. . .

It is a love that would always stay between them. 

Always. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this story! I sure enjoyed writing it as well as its partner story (Canis Lupus Familiaris). Thank you so much for reading and stay tuned for more!


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